FSUOGM: Gazprom opposes liberalisation of Russian LNG exports

Russia’s Gazprom has said it opposes the liberalisation of the country’s LNG export industry, in an apparent move to defend its leading position in the segment, the Moscow-based Vedomosti newspaper reported on October 10.

The head of Gazprom’s strategic development department, Kirill Polous, spoke out against the liberalisation measure proposed by Russia’s top LNG exporter Novatek during a discussion held by the State Duma Committee on Energy on October 9, according to Vedomosti. Novatek had proposed that rights to export LNG could be granted without reference to specific source gas fields – a move it argues would fast-track the development of Russian LNG projects.

Russia is scrambling to build up its LNG industry to offset Gazprom’s loss of most of its gas pipeline market share in Europe. But Gazprom has traditionally opposed all measures to make it easier for other companies to secure export licences, as it seeks to guard its position as the country’s biggest gas exporter, even though it is in second place behind Novatek in terms of LNG exports.

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