The Guardian 23 July, 2008
Gazprom expansion: Africa and Iran
Russian natural gas monopoly Gazprom will develop oil and gas together with Iran’s state oil company. The decision came after Gazprom’s recent offer to buy all of Libya’s spare exportable gas volumes.
Elsewhere on Africa, it is looking at exploration licenses in Nigeria and possibly to build a pipeline from Nigeria to Algeria in the north. A Gazprom spokesman explained: "We are interested not only in the Middle East and Africa, but also in expanding our strategy beyond them. The target is to create full production cycles located in Russia and in other regions of the world."
"We are interested not only in the Middle East and Africa, but also in expanding our strategy beyond them. The target is to create full production cycles located in Russia and in other regions of the world."
Gazprom‘s Middle East bid puts further pressure on any US attempt to weaken Russia’s influence over Europe’s energy supplies.
The joint [Iran-Russia] venture will improve the situation in the gas sector for the whole world, especially for countries where there is no gas like India or China. "Iranian gas will serve everybody."
Experts say this strategy of extending the company’s geographical reach is only the beginning.
Biggest gas field
Not long ago Gazprom was included in the development of one of the biggest gas fields in the world — the South Pars gas project situated in the Persian Gulf. It is expected to produce more than 750 million cubic meters of natural gas a day when completed by 2014.
The visit of Gazprom executives to Iran last week comes days after French energy company Total postponed plans to invest in the project.
Gennady Shmal, the President of the Oil and Gas Producers’ Union says that Iranian gas will serve everyone. "I don’t think the Russian Iranian joint venture will be appreciated by the West, but there is no basis for blocking Gazprom’s or Russia’s actions.
Experts say this strategy of extending the company’s geographical reach is only the beginning.