Russia’s Rosneft to sue Gazprom to receive access to Sila Sibiri

MOSCOW, Jul 1 (PRIME) -- Russian oil major Rosneft will file a suit against Gazprom, the owner of the future Sila Sibiri pipeline which will carry gas to China, to get access to the pipeline, Rosneft said in a statement Tuesday.

“Gazprom as an infrastructural monopoly must provide independent producers with access to the transportation system,” Rosneft said.

According to the statement, Rosneft and independent producers may pump up to 40 billion cubic meters of gas via the pipeline.

Rosneft was earlier in negotiations with Gazprom on supplying up to 18 billion cubic meters of gas annually via the pipeline from its fields in eastern Siberia. Rosneft said it can participate in the laying of Sila Sibiri, if Gazprom allows it to pump gas.

Gazprom has warned that the admission of other companies to pipeline gas exports will hurt Gazprom and Russia as a state.

Irkutsk Oil Company is holding talks with Gazprom to supply 5 billion cubic meters of associated gas annually, the company said in a report earlier.

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