Russia's Gazprom is keen to bring more partners into its Shtokman gas project either as co-owners of the field operator or as contractors, Gazprom chairman Dmitry Medvedev told a news briefing on Friday.
"I agree that co-participation in this project makes sense for Gazprom," said Medvedev, who is also Russia's first deputy prime minister.
"There could be two models for this -- it could be where our partners join the project as fully fledged participants in the equity of the joint company, or as ... contractors which in my view ... could create a little less stability in relations."
France's Total recently agreed to take a 25 percent stake in a special purpose entity that will develop the first phase of Shtokman, a vast field in the Barents Sea that has enough reserves to supply the world for a year.
(Reuters, 27/07/2007)