Statoil confirmed on Monday that it had received a letter from Russian natural gas monopoly OAO Gazprom earlier this year in connection with the development of the giant Shtokman field but did not divulge details of the document.
"We have received a letter from Gazprom inviting us to continue discussions with them over Shtokman," Statoil's Chief Executive Helge Lund said Monday at the company's fourth quarter results presentation.
"We have regular dialogue with Gazprom and other Russian companies all the time, as part of our day-to-day business," Lund added.
French oil major Total SA said Jan. 30 that it had received a letter from Gazprom offering involvement in the Shtokman gas field project in the Barents Sea.
Statoil has previously said it will only participate in the development of the 3.8 trillion cubic meter Russian gas field Shtokman as an equity-holder, not subcontractor. It, together with Total, ConocoPhillips , Norsk Hydro and Chevron were shortlisted by Gazprom as potential partners in Shtokman, but the Russian company announced October that it would independently develop the field, without the partnership of western oil companies.
(Dow Jones Newswires, 12/02/2007)