Gazprom proposed to share

President of YUKOS oil company, Mikhail Khodarkovski speaks in support of liberation of Russian gas market and free access to it of oil companies, RIA ‘Novosti’ correspondent reports. While speaking today at international forum “Oil of Russia: The Present and the Future”, which is being carried in Moscow, Khodarkovski noticed oil companies’ access to gas market would allow increase volumes of extracting gas in the country. Khodarkovski also spoke in support of the energy market’s liberalization. For a long time, oil kings have been feasting their eyes on this segment of fuel market. Though they could not have free access to it while Vyakhirev-Chernomyrdin team was leading Gazprom. But the time has changed, and today’s Gazprom cannot completely control Russian the gas market. At first, ITERA company bit off a great piece of gas cake, later Lukoil company, than TNK company, and now YUKOS. Lack of stability in the oil market makes them search for escape from existing situation. Liberalization of the gas market declared by the government threatens at Gazprom’s monopoly. New team of Miller tries to partly get back assets, though for the time being without success. And besides, Gazprom is short of floating assets, while the project “Blue Stream” and working of new deposit “Zapolyarnoye” demand million dollars. It should be most likely resign itself to presence of other Russian companies in this market, but what is more – give them access to the gas tube.

Dmitry Litvinovich PRAVDA.Ru

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2001/11/22/34095.html