Gazprom to negotiate with LNG suppliers to Europe for possible shipment growth to Japan

Gazprom on the orders of the Prime Minister of Russia, V. Putin is negotiating with the LNG suppliers to Europe. Gazprom head A. Miller told journalists in Ljubljana commenting on the possibility of the LNG supply growth from Russia to Japan. He confirmed that the company has the possibility to increase the pipeline transfer for the European consumers by 60-70 mln cubic meters of gas a day. It is not only the issue of the technical capacities but also the issue of the agreement and readiness of the suppliers and consumers, Mr. Miller said. He added that at the present time the technical aspects are already settled. Now we start to work on the commercial aspect but one can’t say it is a 100% agreement, Mr. Miller said, RBK reports.
On March 19th 2011 the Prime Minister V. Putin ordered Gazprom to hold a meeting with the Japanese party to see if Japan needs extra volumes due to loses from the accident at the Fukushima station. Earlier Mr. Putin said that Russia is ready to supply up to 4 mln tons of LNG to Japan within 100 days having redirected the European supplies. “Russia is ready to search for the possibilities to increase the supplies to Europe by 60 mln cubic meters a day that is equivalent to 40 thousand tons of LNG. So Mr. Putin thinks to agree with the EU on releasing of the extra volumes of LNG intended for Europe by compensating the obligations before the EU by the pipeline transfer”. That means the tankers going to Europe turn back and go to Japan. It is possible only in the case of coordinated actions with our European partners. We can do it right now, Mr. Putin said.
He added that in the case of the supply of 4 mln tons of LNG to Japan via the pipeline, Europe will receive up to 6 bln cubic meters of gas in the coming 100 days.  

http://www.rosinvest.com/news/796594/
Translated by Galiya Davletgareeva