A working meeting between A. Miller and a Governor of Tver Region, D. Zelenin took place in a central office of “Gazprom”.

The parties discussed the implementation of the Agreement about cooperation and gas supply contract between “Gazprom” and Tver Region. A. Miller and D. Zelenin expressed a common opinion that it is important to improve the gas payment discipline in the Region. “Gazprom” will earmark finance for the Regional gas supply infrastructure development as long as there is appropriate gas debt repayment.

A question of the completion of the “Uglich-Kalyazin” gas lateral construction was also discussed on a meeting. It was said, that “Gazprom” had already allocated about 130 million rubles for this purpose, including 80 million rubles in 2004. The pipeline construction will be finished in 2005.

Reference:

A cooperation Agreement was signed between “Gazprom” and the Government of Tver Region in January, 2002 for a 5-year period. To promote the Agreement, the parties signed a gas supply contract in December, 2004.

In 2004, “Gazprom” provided customers of the region with 3,8 milliard cubic meters of gas and 4 milliard cubic meters of gas will be supplied in 2005.

A level of gasification of Tver Region is 51,5%, in cities and settlements – 68,8%, in villages – 17,6%. The Russia-averaged parameters are 53%, 60% and 34,7%, respectively.

According to the program of gasification of the Russian Federation regions in 2003 and 2004, “Gazprom” allocated 116,5 million rubles for construction of gas distribution networks in Tver Region.

During 2005, the debt of regional gas consumer to “Gazprom” has increased more than 150 million rubles and exceeds 240 million rubles, as of 1st of April, 2005.
 

A deputy of the Legislative Assembly of Nizhniy Novgorod Region Viktor Portnov blames “NTEK”, “REK” and “Gazservis” for setting too high prices for gas-cylinders. V. Portnov said about it on a meeting of the Legislative Assembly.

As the chairman of the committee of economics and industry A. Mineev said on a meeting, a Legislative Assembly received some complaints from heads of Pochinkovskiy district and Sergachskiy district about high prices for gas-cylinders, sell by “Gazservis”.

“The price for gas-cylinders on the territory of Nizhniy Novgorod Region, fixed by “REK” in January, 2005 is about 217 rubles per one cylinder (50 l.), but at the same time such cylinder in Chuvashia costs 153 rub., in Ivanovo Region – 210 rub., in Mordovia – 174 rub. We think that “REK” is setting too high prices for fuel, in particular liquefied gas,” – wrote heads of local administrations in their letter.

In connection with it, it was decided to establish a committee, consisting of representatives of the Government of Nizhniy Novgorod Region, some deputies of the Legislative Assembly and representatives of the Association of industrialists and businessmen. According to the words of A. Mineev, representatives of the committee will check “Gazservis” and find out the reason of “so high prices for liquefied gas”.
 

A head of the Ministry of Environment of the Russian Federation says about developing of new deposits in connection with forecasted treasures of the soil deficiency. “We understand that economy of the Russian Federation depends on a stable work of the energy complex and export of hydrocarbon. That’s why a forecasted treasures of the soil deficiency makes us work without delay,” – said a minister.

According to his words, the most promising way of hydrocarbon replenishment is the developing of a shelf of the Russian Federation. “There is a great volume of gas and oil there. But a number of developed deposit is little,” – said a minister.

He mentioned that developed deposits are situated at Kara Sea and Sea of Okhotsk. He said that resources of Russian shelf are distributed among 20 sea and continental oil-and-gas basins. There are 35 developed oil and gas deposits, which are situated at Baltic Sea, Sea of Okhotsk, Japan Sea, Caspian Sea and Sea of Azov. RIA “Novosti” reports about it.

Supplies of hydrocarbon are about 89,4 milliard tones, reserve in Russia – 251,6 milliard tones. A head of the Ministry of Environment Yuri Trutnev said about it. “The biggest part of explored oil and gas deposits is situated in Northern and Western Siberia and European part of our country,” – reminded a minister.
 

A Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) was not pleased with the fact, that Felix Verkhovodov is the head of two “Gazprom” subsidiaries in Nizhniy Novgorod Region. Representatives of the Service want him to be discharge from one of the offices. F. Verkhovodov and “Gazprom” try to contest a prescription of FAS.

NTEK realizes gas of “Gazprom”. 50,93% of safety stock belongs to “Regiongazholding” (a subsidiary of “Gazprom”), 41,67% - to the Government of Nizhniy Novgorod Region. Company controls more than 65% of the regional wholesale market of natural gas.

“Nizhegorodoblgaz” – is a regional gas-distributing company. About 40% of the company belongs to “Gazpromregiongaz” (a subsidiary of “Gazprom”), 25,5% - state ownership. The balance loss of “Nizhegorodoblgaz” was 235 million rubles in 2004.

F. Verkhovodov became a Director General of “Nizhegorodoblgaz” last year, being already a Director General of NTEK. Representatives of FAS decided, that holding of two offices will influence negatively on a competition in a gas market, said a representative of FAS in Nizhniy Novgorod Region A. Shumilov. And that is why, in March FAS insisted that F. Verkhovodov should discharge from “Nizhegorodoblgaz”.

But he didn’t agree with FAS’s arguments and went to the law. According to the words of Shumilov, Verkhovodov pointed in a writ, that prescription of the Federal Antimonopoly Service infringes his constitutional rights. One of the employers of “Nizhegorodoblgaz” said that F. Verkhovodov went to the law as a natural person. A plaintiff didn’t comment this situation yesterday. A press-service of NTEK didn’t comment it, as well. A case of F. Verkhovodov will be under consideration, starting form the 25th of May,2005.
 

As the correspondent of ITAR-TASS was informed in a press-service of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry, gas supply was cut off in 12 settlements, because of a break on a pipe line in Northern Ossetia.

The cause of the break is a flood, specified the representative of the Ministry. “Rising of the water-level in a river Terek is the cause of “Olginskaya-Chikola” pipe line damage,” – explained in the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry. There was no ignition; a section of a pipe line was overlapped.

It was said in the Ministry, that gas supply was cut off in 12 settlements, where 25 405 people live. “We plan to supple these settlements with gas on Thursday,” – a press-service informed.
 

Accept the most sincere congratulations and the best wishes on a holiday of the 60th anniversary of the Great Victory!

Victory Day - is a favorite and deeply exciting each Russian, national holiday.

It is a day of celebration of unsubdued spirit of our people. Victory Day - is a day of victim’s grief and a day of memory and gratitude to all participants of severe battles.

Your great feat will be always in hearts of next generations, as the example of courage and love to the Native land.

With all our heart we wish you and your relatives health, happiness and many long years!

Sincerely, a collective of SUO “Mosoblgaz”
 

60 years ago we won a Victory.

Our people resisted pressure of the enemy. Russian solders freed our country from fascism and raised the standard of the Victory in Berlin. Our country made a great contribution in crushing defeat of Hitlerite Germany.

Everybody approached Victory, as they could. Our army and home front. Every citizen of our country. Every house, village, city. This Victory was also achieved by sweat and blood of the solders of Moscow Region.

We bow low to you – front-line soldiers, soldiers-winners. You went into battle at the first summons. You looked death in the face. And you won!

We tender thanks to you! You forged weapon for this war all days and nights long. Thousands of you went into battle right out of school.

We are proud of your feat! This Victory will be engraved in our memory, as the most precious property of our history.

Dear our compatriots! On behalf of the Government of Moscow Region and Moscow Region State Duma congratulate you on a great holiday! We wish you health and happiness and trust in new victories!

We will always remember those, who died for this Victory!

Governor of Moscow Region, hero of the Soviet Union B.V. Gromov

Chairman of the Moscow Region State Duma V.E. Aksakov
 

Gazprom is taking a non-secured syndicated 972 million US dollars loan intended for the refinancing of borrowings, made by the Company between 2003 and 2004.
ABN AMRO is the book runner on the transaction.

As a result, “Gazprom” won’t need to collateralize one of it’s export contracts and will save 18 million US dollars in debt servicing expenses.

The loan will be granted in two tranches, including a 3-year 700 million US dollars and 5-year 272 million US dollars ones, with the annual interest margins accounting for 1,25% + LIBOR and 1,50% + LIBOR, respectively.

The loan is the largest and longest-term syndicated non-secured transaction ever executed by Russian companies and fixes a new rate for three- and five-year non-secured borrowings.

The transaction has been agreed by the Board of Directors of “Gazprom”.

Reference:

ABN AMRO (the Netherlands) is a leading global bank having 608,6 milliard EUR in overall assets (31, December, 2004). Operating through over 3000 branches in more, than 60 countries and employing more than 100000 people. ABN AMRO’s securities are listed on the Euronext and New York stock exchanges.
 

“Nortgaz” registered a claim in Moscow arbitration tribunal against the Ministry of Finance in order to exact 119,631 milliard rubles from the Russian Federation, informs RIA “Novosti”.

“A claim was registered on the 26th of April. It is not known, if the claim will be under consideration,” – said the representative of the tribunal press-service.

As the third persons will be the Ministry of Environment of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of the bowels of the Russian Federation.

“Nortgaz” confirmed that the claim was registered. They explained that they want to obtain compensation for exploitation of the Severo-Urengoyskoe deposit.

Answering the question, why the Ministry of Finance is the defendant, a representative of “Nortgaz” said: “According to the Russian legislation, in the case of making demands by a legal person about losses recovering, which are the result of illegal actions of state structures, the defendant of this case is the Russian federation in the person of a proper finance body. In this case, demands were made to the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation”.

A representative of the Ministry of Finance said that they still don’t have a copy of a writ.

At the same time, a representative of the Ministry of Environment said, that they had already received such documents.

“We have received a suit, now we are familiarizing with documents. We will consult with other ministries and departments. A claim on 119 milliard rubles was advanced to the Russian Federation and we are interested in contest a claim”, - said a press-secretary of the Ministry of Environment of the Russian Federation Rinat Gizatulin.
 

Rapid works of dams strengthen, which are building for protection of a town, are holding now. As the correspondent of IA “Regnum” was informed in a press-service of the city Administration, dams are strengthening with stones and bags with sand. “Gazprom” and military units help to strength the dams.

Dams are calculate on a maximum level of water – 6,2 meters. Peak of a flood will be on the 12th of May, specialists say. That’s why, a mayor of Astrakhan Sergey Bozhenov suggested deputies to take under control every part of dams. Besides, there are some officials, who will help to solve all questions, connected with the flood.
 

Rapid works of dams strengthen, which are building for protection of a town, are holding now. As the correspondent of IA “Regnum” was informed in a press-service of the city Administration, dams are strengthening with stones and bags with sand. “Gazprom” and military units help to strength the dams.

Dams are calculate on a maximum level of water – 6,2 meters. Peak of a flood will be on the 12th of May, specialists say. That’s why, a mayor of Astrakhan Sergey Bozhenov suggested deputies to take under control every part of dams. Besides, there are some officials, who will help to solve all questions, connected with the flood.
 

Fire continues on a bore-hole of the Ety-Purovskoe deposit, which is under construction. Fire destroyed a bore-hole.

As the company “Yugra” reports, operation groups from Surgut and Nizhnevartovsk are putting out the fire. 30 people are working there.

The main problem is the lack of water, which is needed for cooling of burned boring equipment. Water can be taken only 10 kilometers away from the place of ignition. According to information of the workers of life-saving service, there are no victims. Such ignitions happen rarely – once per 5-10 years. Specialists think, that it will be possible to put out a fire in a week – informs NewsProm.Ru.
 

“Gazprom” decreased gas production again. In January – April it was extracted by 1,4% less in comparison with the last year. Anyway, the same thing was at the beginning of the last year. But, as a result, the monopoly increased gas production.

They are not going to dramatize the situation in “Gazprom”. “According to our information, we plan to extract 547 milliard cubic meters of gas, that is 2 milliard cubic meters higher in comparison with the last year”, - says the representative of the monopoly.

Officials do not worry about decrease of “Gazprom” indices. “Decrease of gas production in the 1st quarter – is an everyday occurrence both, for gas-men and oil industry workers”, - said a representative of the Ministry. According to his words, it is connected with the seasonal peculiarity of production. “Anyway, “Gazprom” will get it’s own”, - thinks an official.

Yesterday, it became known, that “Gazprom” wanted the Federal Tariff Service (FTS) to increase the tariff for gas transportation for independent producers by 30%. “Interfax” was informed about it by a head of the oil and gas industry control department of FTS D. Volkov. According to the words of Volkov, FTS asked “Gazprom” to give additional documents, which would prove this increase, in particular – company’s budget.

He said, that it is difficult to say – would be tariffs increased or not and when. Tariffs for gas transportation for independent producers were increased 6 months ago. Starting from the 1st of October,2004 tariffs were increased by 17% - till 19,37 rubles per 1000 cubic meters of gas per 100 km. Meanwhile, “Gazprom” wanted to increase a tariff by 37%, starting from the 1st of January,2005. But as the Government didn’t approve the monopoly’s budget, the issue remains open.

A representative of the gas independent company wasn’t surprised with Gazprom’s initiative. “It is a traditional practice of “Gazprom”, - he said. An interlocutor said that his company is going to pay. But he insists that tariffs for independent producers and “Gazprom” will be the same.
 

Clear profit of “Novatek” in the 1st quarter of 2005 is 2 milliard 368 million 50 thousand rubles. It is higher by 41% in comparison with the 4th quarter of 2004.

In the 4th quarter of 2004 clear profit of “Novatek” was 1 milliard 679 million 370 thousand rubles. As “Yamal-Inform” informs, the main reason of the profit increase is the rise of hydrocarbon realization and prices rise in the international and home markets.
 

According to the information, during 4 months of 2005 it was extracted 227,01 milliard cubic meters of gas in Russia. It is 2,4% higher, than during the same period of the last year. In April gas production increased by 4,2% - till 56,09 milliard cubic meters.

“Gazprom” extracted 188,54 milliard cubic meters of gas (-1,4%) in January – April, 2005. In April gas production of “Gazprom” was 46,44 milliard cubic meters.
 

A war veteran Fedor Shvetsov from the village Pyatkovo will pay 10 times less for heating. Builders from “Tumenmezhraygaz” due to means of the enterprise have installed a boiler, radiators, and a gas cooker.

“Now it is not necessary to prepare fire wood and it became clean in the house,” - the veteran said. And for Inokentiy Ivanov from the village Emurtla gas has substitute an expensive central heating. Now to prepare food and to heat a house “blue” fuel helps.

200 000 rubles were allocated by “Tumenmezhraygaz” this year for gasification of houses of participants of the Great Patriotic War. All works have been finished by an anniversary of the Victory. So, the holiday became for old persons joyful doubly. Besides, the regional budget paid for gasification of 109 flats of the exempts, living on the territory of the district.

“The level of gasification in the district is 17 %, - said a representative of “Tumenmezhraygaz”. - 48 % of the population use liquefied gas.”
 

Scientific-practical conference "The regional policy in gas branch" will take place on May, 27th in Samara.

As OilCapital was informed in a press-service of RGA, during the conference discussion of ways and methods of formation of the gas market in Russia, questions of national policy in a sphere of gasification would take place. Participants of the conference also will discuss actual problems of formation of principles of rules of gas delivery under the adjustable and uncontrolled prices, features of formation of the united tariff and the regional making price for gas for users in Russian Federation.

Heads of the Ministry of the industry and power of the Russian Federation, Federal Power Agency, Federal tariff service, Federal antimonopoly service; representatives of gas-distributing organizations of the Russian Federation, heads of "Gazprom", "Mezhregiongaz", "Gazpromregiongaz", "Rosgazifikatsiya", etc. will take part in the conference.
 

Yesterday on an annual meeting of founders of “Permregiongaz” standard questions were discussed – approval of an annual balance sheet, report of a revision committee and a conclusion of auditors.

Founders selected a new committee of directors. A head of a lawful department of “Mezhregiongaz” I. Gerbov and a deputy governor of Perm Region O. Zhdanov were excluded from the committee. Their places were occupied by a vice-governor N. Bukhvalov and a deputy director general of MRG I. Dmitriev. Besides, he is the head of a new committee. Regnum informs about it.
 

A newspaper “Vedomosti” informs, that “Lukoil”, which has put into operation a gas field in Nakhodka a day before, vainly wants to be ahead of schedule. An oil company tried it best, so it prepared a gas field for production on 6 months earlier, than it was planned.

But it can play a mean joke with “Lukoil” and the company will have to sell gas to “Gazprom” at a low price. According to the agreement between “Gazprom” and “Lukoil”, an oil and gas concern will buy gas at a price of 22,5 US dollars per 1 000 cubic meters, starting from the 1st of October, 2005. Such agreement was achieved in autumn 2003.

At the present moment “Gazprom” doesn’t want to buy gas at a price $22,5. Heads of the company decided that they will not spend money – anyway there is no way out for “Lukoil”.

So, “Lukoil” will sell gas till October on Gazprom’s terms. As employers of “Lukoil” suppose, a company will produce about 1,2 milliard cubic meters of gas till October.
 

A newspaper “Vedomosti” informs, that “Lukoil”, which has put into operation a gas field in Nakhodka a day before, vainly wants to be ahead of schedule. An oil company tried it best, so it prepared a gas field for production on 6 months earlier, than it was planned.

But it can play a mean joke with “Lukoil” and the company will have to sell gas to “Gazprom” at a low price. According to the agreement between “Gazprom” and “Lukoil”, an oil and gas concern will buy gas at a price of 22,5 US dollars per 1 000 cubic meters, starting from the 1st of October, 2005. Such agreement was achieved in autumn 2003.

At the present moment “Gazprom” doesn’t want to buy gas at a price $22,5. Heads of the company decided that they will not spend money – anyway there is no way out for “Lukoil”.

So, “Lukoil” will sell gas till October on Gazprom’s terms. As employers of “Lukoil” suppose, a company will produce about 1,2 milliard cubic meters of gas till October.
 

A pipe line break with ignition took place on Saturday in Yamalo-Nenets autonomous region, 27 kilometers away from Nadym. There are no victims.

According to his words, a break took place in a dead-end part of a pipe line, that’s why after a bolt was closed, the fire finished. Nature and people didn’t suffer.

A pipe line belongs to “Tumentransgaz”. A group of engineers of “Tumentransgaz” and specialists of the Russian Emergency Ministry were conveyed there by a helicopter.
According to provisional data, a main cause of ignition is a sparkle in a pipe line.
 

Questions of gasification of Astrakhan Region and retail prices for natural gas were discussed on a meeting, which was hold on the 29th of March, 2005. It appeared that these questions are connected with each other. During last 3 months “Gazprom” didn’t give any money for gasification, but in fact it was promised to give 109,9 million rubles. This fact worries ministers.

“Gazprom” doesn’t rush to invest money, until the Government will approve it’s investment program. Government insist, that “Gazprom” should invest it’s own profit. Form another side, “Gazprom” wants to invest money which was received, as a result of tariffs increase. While they can’t decide anything, people suffer. As s chairman of a regional Government K. Markelov said, it is a fault of regions, that they don’t have another ways of gasification.

On the whole, it is planned to invest 160,4 million rubles in gasification of Astrakhan Region: 109,9 million rubles will invest “Gazprom” and 24,5 million rubles will be given according to the program “South of Russia”.

It is known that, in December of the last year new whole-sale prices for gas were approved by a Federal Tariff service. They will come into force, starting from the 1st of April.
 

Starting from the 1st of April, gas tariffs for inhabitants were increased. As a correspondent of IA REGNUM was informed by a press-service of a Regional Tariff service in Volgograd Region, tariffs were increased by 6% on average.

Depending on a way of using, there are 5 categories of tariffs for inhabitants. They are – a price with registration equipment, a price for heating and three tariffs for cooking and water supply in flats with gas-stoves. Therefore, according to the governmental regulation, three last categories of tariffs were increased in January.

In comparison with prices in force, approved at the beginning of 2005, increase of prices for cooking in Volgograd Region will be from 53 kopecks to 1,3 rubles, a tariff for heating increased on 83 kopecks, a price for gas with registration equipment increased on 130 rubles per 1000 cubic meters of gas. As a result, an average retail price for gas in Volgograd Region increased by 29% in comparison with last year prices.
 

Starting from the 1st of April tariffs for gas will be increased. As the correspondent of IA Regnum was informed by Administration of Novgorod Region, tariffs will rise twice in 2005 – starting from the 1st of January and the 1st of April.

Starting from the 1st of January, tariffs increased by 17,1% - for cooking and by 10,6% - for heating. Starting from the 1st of April, tariffs will be increased by 5% and 9,6% accordingly. In fact 1 cubic meter of gas will cost 10 kopecks more, than before.

Tariff’s rising is carried out in compliance with schedule of whole-sale prices increase, approved by a Federal tariff service. Let’s remind that whole-sale prices were increased by 24% at the beginning of 2005. Starting from the 1st of April, whole-sale prices will be increased by 8% and will be about 802 rubles per 1 thousand cubic meters of gas. For comparison, during January-March, 2005, 1thousand cubic meters of gas cost 744 rubles.