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Source: Energy ministry preparing stance on Rosneft pipeline gas export application

The Russian Energy Ministry hasn't changed its stand on Rosneft’s application for receiving access to pipeline gas export

MOSCOW, March 28. /TASS/. Russia’s Energy Ministry is preparing its stance on Rosneft’s application for receiving access to pipeline gas export, a source familiar with the matter told TASS, adding that the government’s and the ministry’s approach has not changed.

"There is an application [from Rosneft - TASS]. There’ve been applications earlier. This is a general approach of companies… But there is also a stand of the government and the ministry, it has not changed. We’ve just received another letter recently and we’ll prepare a stance at the management level," the source said.

Last week Deputy Energy Minister Kirill Molodtsov said the ministry had received a request from Rosneft for receiving access to gas exports via a single export channel. The company’s official representative and vice president Mikhail Leontyev told TASS Rosneft hoped to be backed by the Energy Minister regarding the application. "We want to be allowed to sell gas to our consumers, which are not identical to Gazprom customers. They are ready to buy our gas, which contradicts nothing but Gazprom’s position," he said.

According to Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich, there are no plans to grant access to pipeline gas exports to independent producers. "Each gas producing company wants to export gas, but our decision has not changed - Gazprom (exports) pipeline gas and decisions are made individually regarding LNG. There are still no plans to unbundle the transport component, no such decision has been made," he said.

Novatek and Rosneft have applied to the government asking for an access to export pipeline gas to Europe. This came after the companies succeeded in receiving access to export LNG from their projects.