Russian gas monopoly OAO Gazprom (GAZP.RS) wants to become "the base energy operator in France, Gazprom Chief Executive Alexei Miller said in an interview published Tuesday in French daily Le Figaro.
"Gazprom's French subsidiary only provides 1% of gas consumption in France," Miller said, adding that Gazprom is targeting professionals and small and medium-size companies as clients, but individual clients could be developed at a later date.
Miller also said that Gazprom isn't excluding acquisitions in France "but the priority is put on organic development."
Miller added that Gazprom intends to develop gas, electricity and carbon trades in France.
Gazprom produced about 200 billion cubic meters of gas between January and April, 2008, or 4.2 billion more than the year earlier period Miller said.
Miller also said that due to investments, Gazprom sees production of 570 billion cubic meters of gas in 2010, which could be raised to between 610 and 615 billion cubic meters in 2020. "By this time half the production of gas will come from new fields" in the Arctic, Siberia and the Far East.