“Gazprom” proposed “LUKOIL” joint work on the Russian shelf – Lenta.ru

«Gazprom» is in talks with “Lukoil” about the possibility of working on a number of sites on the Russian shelf. This was told a board member of the gas holding Vsevolod Cherepanov, RIA Novosti reported.

«We invite them to participate as partners in our offshore projects, and such negotiations are conducted. We offer a number of units, number of sites where the company “Lukoil” in view of his experience and have the opportunity to participate in our projects, “- said Cherepanov. He noted that “Lukoil” have experience in the Caspian and Baltic seas.

In this drilling in the Arctic shelf this year is not provided for in the plans only seismic told TASS referring to the deputy chairman of the board of the company Vitaly Markelov.

At present, Russian law limits the number of companies allowed to work on the shelf. Admission only have state-controlled companies with experience in the offshore at least five years. In fact, work on the shelf of the Russian Federation is permitted only to “Gazprom” and “Rosneft”. “Lukoil” advocated the liberalization of access to the shelf and the granting of licenses to private companies.

Ministry of Natural Resources in April submitted to the government proposals for revising the existing restrictions on access of non-state companies to the continental shelf. To work on the shelf, according to the Ministry, it is necessary to allow domestic oil and gas companies, registered in Russia and passed pre-qualification criteria such as the presence of shelf development experience, the availability of technical and financial capacity and lack of violations in the field of environmental protection and safe operations. Also, the Ministry of Environment advised to suspend the issuance of licenses for state companies shelf areas.

In 2012, private companies have asked President Vladimir Putin to allow them access to the shelf. They sent a letter, signed by the president of “LUKOIL” Vagit Alekperov, CEO of “Surgutneftegaz” Vladimir Bogdanov and several heads of major oil and gas corporations. In the letter, they pointed out that no private companies may slow the development of exploration.