http://en.rian.ru/business/20080422/105610768.html
Gazprom eyes cooperation with Italy's Eni in Libya
ROME, April 22 (RIA Novosti) - Gazprom is planning to launch operations in
Libya with Italy's oil and gas giant Eni, a senior official at the Russian gas
giant told the Corriere della Sera newspaper on Tuesday.
"We have been active in Libya for some time. We have bought a number of assets
from Germany's BASF, and are discussing the agreement for joint cooperation
with Eni," said Alexander Medvedev, deputy chairman of Gazprom's board of
directors.
A major deal was closed between Gazprom and Libya's National Oil Corporation
during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to the country last week. The
two companies will set up a joint venture to engage in both upstream and
downstream oil and gas operations.
At a meeting last Friday with incoming prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, Putin
said Gazprom expected Eni to offer the Russian gas monopoly potential foreign
options as part of the asset swap agreement between the two companies.
He also said Gazprom and Eni could also build a gas pipeline in Libya.
Medvedev assured European consumers of the reliability of Russian gas supplies.
He added that Gazprom had extended contracts with its major customers in Europe.
He also dismissed as "absurd" speculation circulated by Western media that
Gazprom could use gas as a political instrument.
A dispute over a gas debt and supply scheme between Russia and Ukraine earlier
this year led to a brief reduction in shipments to Kiev, sparking concerns
among European consumers over possible supply shortfalls similar to those
reported at the start of 2006. Ukraine transits about 80% of Russian
Europe-bound gas.
Italy's Eni and Enel acquired natural gas fields in the Yamalo-Nenets
Autonomous Area (northwest Siberia) in 2007 through liquidation auctions of
Russia's once most powerful oil firm Yukos. Eni also has a 20% stake in Gazprom
Neft, Gazprom's oil arm.
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