On November
10, Gazprom Chairman Alexey Miller and Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam)
CEO Nguyen Vu Truong Son held a working meeting on the margins of the
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Danang, Vietnam where they
discussed a wide range of issues related to bilateral partnership, including
hydrocarbon production and geological exploration in Vietnam.
“Vietnam is
one of Gazprom’s key partners in Southeast Asia. Together with PetroVietnam, we
successfully conduct geological exploration and produce hydrocarbons, as well
as make preparations to develop the country’s NGV (natural gas vehicle)
market,” Miller said.
“We are
also exploring new avenues for cooperation. One of them is gas-fired power
generation. In that connection, we are discussing the prospects for supplying
LNG (liquefied natural gas) to Vietnam from the Gazprom Group’s portfolio for
the purposes of power generation,” he added.
The meeting
placed a focus on the construction project for a small-scale LNG production
complex and a CNG filling network in southern Vietnam. A feasibility study for
the project is underway. It was noted that the project would contribute to the
proliferation of vehicles powered by natural gas – a modern and environmentally
friendly fuel, Gazprom said.
Vietnam’s
PetroVietnam Group is focused on hydrocarbon exploration, production,
processing, transportation and marketing. Gazprom and PetroVietnam collaborate
under the Agreement on strategic cooperation. Vietgazprom, a joint operating
company established by Gazprom and PetroVietnam on a parity basis, is engaged
in exploration in licensed blocks Nos. 112 and 129–132 located on the
continental shelf of Vietnam. Gazprom is represented in the joint venture by
Gazprom International, a specialized company for the implementation of
hydrocarbon prospecting, exploration and development projects outside Russia.
Since 2013,
Gazprom International and PetroVietnam have been engaged in commercial gas and
condensate production from the Moc Tinh and Hai Thach fields offshore Vietnam.
In 2015, PVGAZPROM Natural Gas for Vehicles, a joint Russian-Vietnamese company
focused on the use of natural gas as a vehicle fuel, was registered. The joint
venture consists of Gazprom International (35.5 per cent), Gazprom
Gazomotornoye Toplivo (35.5 per cent), and PETROVIETNAM GAS (29 per cent). In
2016, Gazprom and PetroVietnam signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the
development of new oil and gas projects, the Memorandum of Understanding on
power generation, and the Addendum to extend the Cooperation Agreement on
personnel training.
https://www.neweurope.eu/article/russias-gazprom-vietnam-advance-strategic-partnership/