Gazprom’s exports monopoly is saved but the mechanism of exceptions to be applied for each separate project by the Government approval

Analyzing the perspective of the construction of the new LNG-plants in Russia, the expert of BKS, V. Metnev, says the “Yamal-LNG” project and Gazprom’s plant in Vladivostok are at the advanced stage now, Rosneft’s project – at the conception stage now. The main obstacle for exports liberalization is that the Russian companies might start to compete with each other in Europe, the expert says.

The Government of Russia is also afraid of the competition between the LNG suppliers with the Russian pipeline gas in Europe: on March 18th 2013 it became clear that A. Novak suggested liberalizing the LNG exports to all the regions, except Europe. V. Metnev in this connection says that the exports liberalization only in the APR direction would be enough to realize the Yamal LNG project. The analyst says that after the exports liberalization Novatek can sign swap-agreements covering the physical volumes of LNG supplies by the foreign companies to Europe that in future might help the company to gain the right for LNG exports to Europe.