Russian Energy and Industry Minister Viktor Khristenko said foreign energy companies are still welcome to help develop the Shtokman gas field in the Barents Sea, but he was unclear about what form of involvement they might be allowed to have.
"It is a possibility that partners will be engaged in developing the project in many different ways – as executors of important part of the project and also as possible participants in the project,” Khristenko said.
"But now it's going to be under a different framework and different conditions," he added, without specifying whether foreign oil and gas companies would be able to become part owners of the field or have a more limited role.
In October, Gazprom said it would develop the 3.7 trillion cubic liter field itself, without any foreign partners. Chevron, ConocoPhilips, Total, Statoil and Norsk Hydro had wanted to get involved.
EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, who appeared with Khristenko after they had held talks, said: "I was very glad that the minister mentioned there could be some partners attached to this project. Some European companies that had been shortlisted have very good experience working in extreme conditions."
Piebalgs added: "I wish that they will be successful in cooperating with Gazprom in producing gas from this field," he said.
(AFX, 08/12/2006)