Russian gas monopoly Gazprom
plans to develop further cooperation with Dutch gas company
Gasunie and the two may sell spot gas jointly in the U.K., Gazprom
director Yuri Komarov told journalists late on Monday.
"One aspect of cooperation with Gasunie we are examining is
joint activities on the British market," Komarov said.
He pointed out that after Gazprom completes construction of
the first phase of the Yamal-Europe pipeline this year, there
will be a new direct link for Russian gas to Britain through
Germany, Belgium and the Anglo-Belgian Interconnector pipeline.
The Yamal-Europe line is a huge project to link fields in
remote northern Siberia with Europe. The first phase will run
from Germany through Poland and Belarus to European Russia.
"We have capacity in the Interconnector, we're finishing
Yamal-Europe and soon we'll have a physical link with Britain,"
Komarov said.
"In its turn, Gasunie has great flexibility through its
storage facilities, which will allow it to use our summer
deliveries to supply gas at peak demand periods to Britain."
He added that Gazprom may also try to sell spot gas on its
own in Britain this year.
Gazprom and Gasunie have already signed an agreement under
which Gazprom will supply four billion cubic meters per year to
the Netherlands starting in 2001.
Gasunie is 50 percent owned by the Dutch state, and Royal
Dutch/Shell and Esso each own 25 percent.
