‘Gazprom neft’ may join Anaran block project development

The oilcompany ‘Gazprom neft’ plans to have concluded the
negotiations by the end of summer on joining the project of developing
the Anaran block in Iran, which had been participated in by Lukoil,
the head of Gazprom Alexander Diukov said, RIA Novosti reports.

Diukov said that his company is interested in the project because it
borders on the Badra oil field. He added that there is already a
consortium in Iran, similar to the one in Iraq. Negotiations are being
held with the Iranian Ministry of Oil and the National Oil Company.

In November 2009 ‘Gazprom neft’ and the National Iranian Oil Company
(NIOC) signed a memorandum on mutual understanding, reflecting the
companies’ intentions to develop the oil fields in Azar and Shagul in
Iran, which are part of the Anaran block. The Anaran block also
includes the oil fields of Dekhloran and Musian.

As the operator of the consortium (30%) ‘Gazprom neft’ won the tender
in Iraq in 2009 for developing the Badra oil field, with an estimated
2 billion barrels of oil. Other participants are Kogas (22.5%) of
Korea, Malaysia's Petronas (15%) and the Turkish company TRAO (7.5%).
25% belongs to the Iraqi government.

‘Gazprom neft’ (formerly known as ‘Sibneft’) is a sister company of
‘Gazprom’, holding 95.68% shares. The company holds 5th place in
Russia for oil extraction. This year the company expects to increase
oil extraction by 1.6% - up to 51.6 million tons in oil equivalent,
including raising oil extraction in Russia by 3% (to 48.6 million
tons). Total oil extraction in 2009 of ‘Gazprom neft’ increased by
3.5%, reaching 47.881 million tons of oil.