Gazprom ignores Putin's request

Gazprom does not let independent gas producers into a single gas traffic system (GTS) even after the threat of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to deprive him of a monopoly on the pipe, writes RBC Daily .

At a meeting on the development of the fuel and energy complex of Russia in early February, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin raised the problem of gas transmission capacity deficiency.

According to the head of government, Gazprom unreasonably denies independent gas producers in response to requests for admission to the GTS. If a gas concern does not change his policy, then Vladimir Putin promised to deprive him of a monopoly on the pipe, changing the legislation. "Either you will work effectively, or we will be forced to change the current rules, go to amend the legislation," the prime minister said.

The concern, it seems, has not been frightened by such a prospect, notes RBC Daily, which interviewed more than 20 independent gas manufacturers, trying to find out what changed after the premiere’s criticism.

There was not a single company in which positive shifts in Gazprom’s policy were noticed. The monopolist did not propose to conclude new contracts or increase the volume of gas transportation through the GTS. "We burn gas" - the most popular response of manufacturers.

Gazprom is considered meaningless to complain somewhere about the actions of Gazprom. Two years ago, CJSC Trans Nafta and Gazenergo-Alance LLC turned to the FAS, which even recognized the illegality of Gazprom’s actions and imposed a fine on it. But the monopolist successfully challenged the verdict at once in three courts.

“From the moment of our appeal to the FAS, nothing has changed,” complains the general director of Trans Nafta Sergey Stepanov. According to him, the gas concern blocks all attempts by independent manufacturers to get to the GTS, since small companies have no contracts with the end consumer.

Similarly in the same position, large companies. Surgutneftegaz believes that the admission system has not changed for more than 15 years and favorable conditions for everyone can only be achieved at the legislative level. So far, the company sells gas not Gazprom, but at the region’s power station, which ensures its utilization by 98% (the highest indicator in the industry).

The most successful negotiator with Gazprom can be called Lukoil. The other day, the company Vagit Alekperov signed an agreement with the concern on gas supplies from the deposits of the Bolshekhthesky cavity and Northern Caspian. In 2012-2016, the Lukoil gas will gain access to the GTS, in the first year it will be 8.35 billion cubic meters. m.

The information department of the gas concern emphasized that it is valid in accordance with the Federal Law on gas supply. Gazprom satisfies all the timely submitted applications of independent manufacturers to access the unified gas supply system, except when this is impossible for technical reasons. First of all, they explained in monopoly, these are limited capabilities of the gas transmission system.

Gazprom also emphasized that the volume of gas transportation of independent manufacturers through the company's GTS is increasing annually: in 2009, the volume amounted to 60 billion cubic meters. m, in 2010 this indicator grew to 89.3 billion cubic meters. m.