2024

Gazprom sold the 5-star Imperial Park Hotel & SPA in New Moscow for 3.6 billion rubles

Gazprom in September 2024 sold the five-star Imperial Park Hotel & SPA in New Moscow. The object was sold for ₽3,6 billion at the end of the auction, which was won by Agrokom Holding LLC, owned by businessman Kiryaki Savvidi. However, the starting price at the auction was set at ₽6 billion. The sale took place as part of the process of optimizing Gazprom's assets in Moscow and the Moscow region in connection with the company's move to St. Petersburg. Read more here.

A court in The Hague arrested Gazprom's stake in the Dutch Wintershall Noordzee

In early September 2024, it became known that the Hague court imposed a security arrest on shares owned by Gazprom in a joint venture with Wintershall Dea in the North Sea - Wintershall Noordzee. The arrest on Gazprom's share was imposed at the suit of the Ukrainian company Slavutich-Invest, which previously owned land in Melitopol.

Gazprom demanded to cancel this arrest. In March 2024, Gazprom International Limited began a competitive procedure for the sale of assets in the North Sea.

Sale of an 8-storey office in the south-west of Moscow for 1 billion rubles

In early August 2024, the largest Russian energy company Gazprom sold an eight-story office building located in southwestern Moscow. The deal for the sale of real estate, with a total area of ​ ​ almost 17 thousand square meters, was concluded in the amount of ₽1 billion.

According to RIA Novosti, the buyer of the object was Photo.Art LLC, which submitted the only application for participation in the auction. According to data from the Unified State Register of Legal Entities, the founders of the buying company are Igor Surat, who holds the post of president of the Moscow Economic Institute, and his son Lev.

Gazprom sold an 8-story office in the south-west of Moscow for 1 billion rubles

The sale of the office building, located at 8 Stroiteley Street, building 1, was carried out through the electronic trading platform of Gazprombank. Initially, the starting price of the lot was ₽1,45 billion, including VAT, while the minimum cost was set at ₽1,2 billion, including tax.

The sale of this asset is part of Gazprom's large-scale program for the sale of real estate in Moscow, associated with the relocation of the company's head office to St. Petersburg. In addition to the office on Stroiteley Street, the energy giant plans to sell other real estate in the capital, including office premises on Novochremushkinskaya Street, non-residential premises on Novodanilovskaya Embankment, as well as a production and technical base on Obrucheva Street.

Of particular interest is the history of the building on Stroiteley Street. Built in 1955, it originally served as the home of the USSR Ministry of Gas Industry. After the creation of the Gazprom concern, this address became the first official residence of the company, which gives the building a special historical value for the Russian gas industry.

The publication of the publication dated August 5, 2024 notes that the process of moving Gazprom's structures to St. Petersburg began more than ten years ago with the move of Gazprom Neft. By August 2024, the head office of PJSC Gazprom was officially registered in the Lakhta Center complex, located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland in St. Petersburg.^[1]

Purchase of the MTS Live Hall concert hall in St. Petersburg

PJSC Gazprom became the new owner of the concert hall on Primorsky Prospekt in St. Petersburg, formerly known as MTS Live Hall. The object with an area of ​ ​ 12.2 thousand square meters. m changed its name to "Lakhta Hall" from July 1, 2024. Read more here

2023

Consolidation of Gazprom-Media's controlling stake

At the end of December 2023, Gazprom"" announced the consolidation by the group of a controlling stake in Gazprom-Media Holding JSC. As a result of the transaction Gazprombank , he became a minority shareholder of the holding, while he was previously a majority shareholder. More. here

Gazprom withdrew from the capital of the Greek trader Prometheus Gas

Gazprom withdrew from the capital of the Greek trader Prometheus Gas. Its sole owner was the Copelouzos Group. This became known on February 23, 2023. Read more here.

Purchase of 50% from Gazprom Shelf Project

Gazprom bought 50% in Gazprom Shelfproekt, which is a service contractor in the field of offshore exploration. The deal was carried out in February 2023, but it became known a month later. At the same time, its participants did not disclose the financial and other parameters of the agreement. Read more here.

2022

The number of Gazprom personnel increased by the maximum 13 thousand people in 9 years

By the end of 2022, the number of Gazprom employees amounted to 492.2 thousand people against 479.2 thousand employees a year earlier. Thus, the staff of the group over the year increased by 13 thousand people. This is stated in the statements that the company published in June 2023.

The increase in the number of Gazprom Group personnel in 2022 is associated with the implementation of strategic projects in gas processing and transportation, the implementation of the investment program of PJSC Gazprom, the reform of the investment and forecast block, as well as the commissioning of large projects for the production of liquid hydrocarbons and the development of import substitution in Gazprom Neft companies, - noted in the document, excerpts from which Interfax leads.

It also follows from Gazprom's materials that in 2022 the company employed 3,495 graduates of universities and institutions of secondary vocational education, compared with 2,966 in 2021 and 2,153 in 2021.

By the end of 2022, Gazprom's personnel accounted for 0.7% of the total number of employees in the Russian Federation. The company's website says that by the beginning of 2022, about 62.7% of the group's employees are people aged 30 to 50. The share of employees under 30 years old was 11.7%, in the category from 50 years old - 25.6%. The largest share of personnel (234.1 thousand people) was concentrated in gas production, transportation, processing and underground storage companies

Gazprom is well aware that the company's team is its main value. Therefore, in its activities, Gazprom complies with high international standards in matters of social and personnel policy. Serious assistance in the formation of social and labor relations between the company and employees is provided by the Interregional Trade Union Organization of PJSC Gazprom, the company's website says.[2]

How to buy Gazprom shares and receive dividends

Stocks are financial instruments that offer opportunities and allow for dividends. Today, many people are seriously thinking about acquiring securities of an organization. It is more expedient to acquire shares of well-known companies that show a confident pace of development and play an important role in the economy.

One of these organizations is PJSC Gazprom. Without exaggeration, this corporation determines the development of Russia. The company controls 71% of the world's gas and is one of the leaders in Russian power. Gazprom is also the largest joint stock company in the country, its shares show stable growth, have high liquidity in the financial market. You can read more about how you can buy Gazprom shares and receive dividends here.

2021

Extension of the contract with Moldova for 5 years

In October 2021, Gazprom proposed that Moldova adjust the free trade agreement with the EU and postpone the energy market reforms agreed with Brussels in exchange for cheaper gas for the country.

Sources with knowledge of the talks said the Kremlin sees the gas talks as part of a broader political settlement with Moldova.

Market analysts believe they are Russia using Gazprom's position as the sole gas supplier to Moldova to put pressure on the Chisinau government, which has vowed to withdraw from orbit to Moscow the West.

EU diplomats have urged the country not to sign a new long-term treaty with a Russian company, but instead to find short-term solutions to survive the winter.

Moscow does not present Chisinau with political conditions for the resumption of gas supplies to Moldova, said presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

"No, there are no political moments and there can be no. This is exclusively commercial negotiations, he said at a briefing. There is a need for gas, there is a commercial offer, there is a proposed discount, there is also a problem of accumulated debt. All this is absolutely commercial applied. There is no politicization here and there cannot be. "

On October 29, 2021, it became known that Gazprom and Moldova extended the contract for gas supplies for 5 years at once. Deliveries will begin on November 1.

So far, details about the price, volumes and conditions are unknown. But it is stated that the formula proposed by the Moldovan side will be used to calculate the price of gas. Debt will also be audited and a payment schedule will be set.

Moldova said that Russian gas will cost less than any other sources. Alina Merlich, adviser to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure of the country Andrei Spynu, noted that prices will be lower than market prices.

Gazprom officially changed its registration to St. Petersburg

In early August 2021, Gazprom officially changed its registration from Moscow to St. Petersburg. According to the Unified State Register of Legal Entities, the legal entity is now registered at the address: Lakhta-Olgino Municipal District, Lakhtinsky Prospekt, 2, building 3, p. 1. This is the Lakhta Center building, built to house Gazprom's headquarters.

The annual general meeting of Gazprom shareholders was held on June 25, 2021. It approved amendments to the company's charter, including the decision to move the head office to St. Petersburg.

According to RBC, the issue of official re-registration is important for the economy of St. Petersburg, including from the point of view of tax deductions to the city budget. Earlier, the head of the profile department 822 of PJSC Gazprom, Karen Ohanyan, revealed the figures for the group's payments to the Moscow budget, where the company's headquarters used to be, - 86 billion rubles in 2019 and about 20 billion rubles in 2020. The quadruple drop in payments in 2020 was due to the consequences of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. If the economic situation normalizes, the group's tax revenues should increase.

Deputy Chairman of the Board of Gazprom Famil Sadygov said that the specific parameters of payments to St. Petersburg will be determined during the choice of the tax regime within the framework of the consolidated group of taxpayers. According to him, more specifics will be closer to September 2021, when the company will consider, together with the budget, the main directions of financial policy.

Experts estimate Gazprom's legal movement to the northern capital at at least 22 billion rubles only for income tax, if the company pays it in St. Petersburg. By mid-2021, Gazprom had more than 30 subsidiaries registered in St. Petersburg with annual revenues exceeding 10 billion rubles.^[3]

Lukoil paid Gazprom 11 billion rubles for a stake in the joint venture Lyavozhneftegaz

On June 30, 2022, it became known that Lukoil paid Gazprom 11 billion rubles for a stake in Layavozhneftegaz, a joint venture to develop the Vaneivis and Layavozhsky fields in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Read more here.

Transfer of assets from the Netherlands to the Russian jurisdiction

In mid-June 2021, it became known about Gazprom's decision to transfer its assets from the Netherlands to Russian jurisdiction. The need to re-register assets arose after the denunciation of the agreement between Russia and the Netherlands on the avoidance of double taxation.

We are not going to pay a double tax, - said the deputy chairman of the board of Gazprom Famil Sadygov at a briefing for journalists.

He noted that to carry out such a procedure, Gazprom can use the capabilities of special administrative regions - in Kaliningrad or on Russky Island.

According to Sadygov, the capabilities of special administrative regions (SAR) can be used to re-register foreign holdings.

We have the task of taking advantage of our SAR in Kaliningrad or on about. Russian. We are considering both options, there will be a transfer of our Dutch companies to these jurisdictions, "he said.

The head of the tax policy department Karen Ohanian added that the company has long been preparing for this denunciation. According to him, "this was not a thunder among the clear sky," and the leadership of the Gazprom concern intends to "prevent financial losses for our company."

According to Vedomosti, the largest Gazprom structures registered in the Netherlands are South Stream Transport B.V, Gazprom Finance B.V., Gazprom EP International B.V., Gazprom International Projects B.V. and Blue Stream Pipeline B.V.

In June 2021, Russia officially notified the Netherlands of the denunciation of the tax agreement. It will cease to operate on January 1, 2022. Moscow offered Amsterdam conditions for revising tax agreements similar to those agreed with Cyprus, Luxembourg and Malta (increasing the withdrawal tax for Russian residents to 15%). However, the Netherlands disagreed with the proposal and insisted on expanding the list of revenues that should be taxed at reduced rates.^[4]

Agreement with Shell, including in the field of digitalization

On March 16, 2021, Gazprom  and Shell entered into a strategic cooperation agreement. The five-year partnership, among other things, involves the joint development of IT projects in the oil and gas sector.

According to the press service of Gazprom, the signed document expands the interaction of companies. Special attention, in particular, will be paid to such areas as the study of energy markets, the implementation of projects along the entire value chain, cooperation in the field of digitalization of technologies and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. What kind of IT projects the partners will develop by joint efforts is not specified by March 16, 2021.

Gazprom and Shell jointly participate in the Sakhalin-2 project, within the framework of which there is a plant for the production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) with a capacity of 10.8 million tons/year (2 lines of 5.4 million tons/year). The operator of the Sakhalin-2 project is Sakhalin Energy, in which Gazprom owns 50% plus 1 share, Shell - 27.5% minus 1 share, Mitsui - 12.5%, Mitsubishi - 10%.

Within the framework of the expanded cooperation between Gazprom and Shell, special attention will be paid to the decarbonization of European power. It is noted that due to environmental properties, natural gas can play a significant role in achieving the climatic  goals of Europe.

Today we have taken a new step in the development of our cooperation, "says Gazprom Chairman Alexei Miller, commenting on the deal with Shell. - The very fact of signing this agreement indicates the good results of our joint work  and that we  set ambitious goals for the near and long term. Without a doubt, the accumulated experience is the key to our achievements in the future.[5]

2020

Contract with Gazprom for 10 years

In May 2020, Gazprom, a monopolist in the export of natural gas from the Russian Federation, signed a 10-year contract for the supply of gas to Greece with Mytilineos.

The contract provides for the supply of gas from 2020 to 2030, the scope of the contract is not disclosed.

Gazprom began selling Mytilineos gas in 2017 as part of short-term contacts, in 2019 almost 600 million cubic meters of Russian gas were delivered to the company.

Ban on face-to-face meetings with more than 10 people due to coronavirus COVID-19

On March 13, 2020, Gazprom issued an order on measures to prevent the spread of a new coronavirus infection in the group's companies. Read more here.

2019

242nd in the ranking of the most expensive brands

In the ranking of the most expensive brands, which was announced on January 22, 2019 by the Brand Finance consulting company, Gazprom is in 242nd place against 315th a year earlier. The brand value of the oil and gas giant rose by 45.7%, to $8.1 billion. 

Remuneration of top managers decreased to 1.95 billion rubles, including taxes

In 2019, the short-term remuneration of Gazprom's key management personnel, including salaries, bonuses and remuneration for participation in the Company's management bodies, decreased significantly compared to 2018. This was reported in Gazprom's annual reporting under RAS for 2019.

The document notes that members of the Board of Directors and the Board of PJSC Gazprom received 1 billion 956 million 740 thousand rubles for the year. For comparison, in 2018 this amount amounted to 3 billion 362 million 403 thousand rubles, and in 2017 - 3 billion 268 million 992 thousand rubles. "The amounts indicated include personal income tax and insurance premiums. Short-term remuneration of the main management personnel also includes payment for health services , "the company said.

2017

Gazprom's headquarters under construction has become the tallest building in Europe (video)

The Gazprom headquarters being built in St. Petersburg has officially become the tallest building in Europe. This was announced in October 2017 by the construction information center. The record was set as the work crossed the 384 meter mark. Before the Lakhta Center, the tallest building in Europe was the Vostok tower of the Federation complex at the Moscow City Moscow Center. The skyscraper goes into the sky at 373.8 m.

The construction of the Lakhta Center has been going on for 827 days. Completion is scheduled for next year. After commissioning, the skyscraper will ascend 87 floors, the height will be 462 m. The complex will open the highest viewing platform in Europe at 360 m.

After the completion of construction, Lakhta Center is expected to enter the top 20 tallest buildings in the world. According to the current Council ranking for High Rise Buildings and Urban Environment, the tower can claim 11th place. Before hitting the top ten, the St. Petersburg skyscraper will not have enough 22 m.

The top 10

includes the most Chinese high-rise buildings - six. The lowest of them extends up 484 m, the highest - at 632 m. And the world leader is the Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai, 867 m high.

68% of gas production in Russia

Gas production in Russia in 2017 amounted to 690.5 billion cubic meters. m (+ 7.9% vs 2016).

Production indicators of companies in 2017:

• Gazprom - 472.0 billion cubic meters. m (+ 12.4%) or 68.4% of total production in Russia.
• Rosneft - 47.5 billion cubic meters. m (+ 1.8%),
• Novatek - 45.5 billion cubic meters. m (-9.1%),
• Lukoil - 21.1 billion cubic meters. m (+ 14.9%),
• Gazprom Neft - 15.3 billion cubic meters. m (+ 13.4%),
• Surgutneftegas - 10.0 billion cubic meters. m (+ 2.0%),
• Russneft - 2.4 billion cubic meters. m (-1.1%),
• Neftegazholding - 1.4 billion cubic meters. m (+ 0.4%),
• TATNEFT - 0.9 billion cubic meters. m (-3.7%)^[6].

Reduction of net profit by 25% to RUB 714 bln

Gazprom's net profit in 2017 fell 25% to 714 billion rubles, the company said in an IFRS report. Revenue from gas sales increased by 7% to 6.5 trillion rubles, net debt - by 24% to 2.4 trillion rubles.

Gazprom's net profit is a benchmark for dividend payments. In mid-April 2018, the company's board recommended dividends at the level of 2016 - 8.04 rubles. per share, that is, 190 billion rubles can be allocated for payments. It turns out that Gazprom can return almost 27% of net profit to shareholders. At the end of 2016, the concern also paid 190.33 billion rubles. (8.0397 rubles per share), which amounted to 20% of net profit under IFRS.

The dispute over the amount of Gazprom's dividends has been going on for more than one year. The Ministry of Finance insists on paying the concern 50% of net profit under IFRS, but the company pays less, explaining this by the need to conduct large-scale construction projects. Gazprom's dividend policy adopted in 2015 allows it to pay 17.5 to 35% of net profit in the form of dividends.

There is no decision of the board of directors on dividends for 2017 yet, the annual general meeting of shareholders will be held at the end of June 2018. On April 25, Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said that the government could make exceptions for some state-owned companies, for example, Gazprom, Transneft, at a dividend payment rate of 50% of net profit under IFRS.

Gazprom shareholders: Rosimushchestvo (38.37%), Rosneftegaz (10.97%), Rosgazification (0.89%), ADR holders (26.86%), other legal entities and individuals (22.91%)^[7].

Gazprom in the report said that the group's investments in 2018 could amount to 1.982 trillion rubles. Earlier, the company gave an estimate of 1.857 trillion rubles.

She has several large construction projects: "Power of Siberia," "Turkish Stream (TurkStream)," "Nord Stream - 2." There are plans to build a giant gas chemical complex in the Baltic. To finance the investment program, Gazprom expects in 2018 to attract a record 417 billion rubles in foreign markets. (about $6.7 billion at the current exchange rate). It has already entered the market twice: in February it placed five-year Eurobonds worth 750 million Swiss francs, and in March - eight-year Eurobonds worth 750 million euros. Gazprom during the next placement, which is scheduled for June, may raise funds in pounds sterling, a source familiar with the company's plans told Interfax.

2016:34% EU market share

2015

Gazprom refused PwC to audit the company

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), which has long been the permanent auditor of the Gazprom gas holding, lost its contract with the Russian company in the spring of 2015.

According to Interfax, on March 27, 2015, a meeting of the competition commission was held, which selected the auditor for the annual audit of Gazprom for 2015. As a result, the winner was the Russian FBK LLC. Ernst & Young (EY) and KPMG also participated in the competition.

Some time ago, some sources in the gas industry of the Russian Federation noted that the authorities made a political decision to gradually complete cooperation with the audit firms of the Big Four.

Thus, a pause in their tenders for audit was taken by large subsidiaries of Gazprom: for example, OGK-2″ and OJSC. Mosenergo The limit price at the competition is 318 million. rubles FBK "met" 204 million rubles.

Growth of gas exports to non-CIS countries by 8%

Gazprom in 2015 increased gas exports to non-CIS countries by 8% to 159.4 billion cubic meters. m. The volume of supplies to Germany in 2015 increased by 17.1%, to Italy - by 12.6%, to France - by 36.8%, to the UK - by 10.2%, to Austria - by 11.5%. In 2015, Gazprom set an absolute record for gas supplies to Germany - 45.3 billion cubic meters. m.

"The main factor in the growth of gas supplies for export to non-CIS countries was the decrease in the volume of its own European gas production," said Alexey Miller, head of the company. - We see that this trend continues to strengthen. Gas supplies to non-CIS countries grew by 11.8 billion cubic meters in one year alone. m is a clear confirmation of the need to build the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline.

2014: Gazprom's profit in 2014 decreased by 7 times

Gazprom's profit attributable to shareholders decreased by more than 7 times in 2014, follows from the consolidated financial statements under IFRS. Annual profit attributable to shareholders amounted to 159.004 billion rubles, the report says. At the end of 2013, this figure was 1.14 trillion. The difference is 980.6 billion rubles.

Gross revenue from sales of the gas concern increased by 6.47% and amounted to 5.589 trillion rubles. According to the results of 2014, Gazprom's net debt amounted to 1.6 trillion rubles against 1.12 trillion rubles a year earlier.

It is also reported that proven and probable hydrocarbon reserves at the fields of the Russian holding, calculated according to international PRMS standards, in 2014 increased by 0.9% and amounted to 155.6 billion barrels of oil equivalent. Moreover, gas reserves increased by 1.1% - to 23.5 trillion cubic meters, gas condensate - by 2%, to 848.61 million tons, and oil, on the contrary, decreased by 2.3%, amounting to 1.374 billion tons.

In the message of Gazprom, it is noted that the fall in profits was influenced, first of all, by the increase in foreign exchange expenses due to the weakening of the ruble against the dollar and the euro. In 2014, Gazprom's net loss on exchange rate differences in financial income and expenses increased by 925.8 billion rubles. The increase in foreign exchange expenses is associated with the revaluation of obligations on loans and loans denominated in foreign currency, the gas holding explained. Another factor that caused a sharp decline in profit was an increase in the cost of creating provisions for impairment of assets and other reserves by 245.5 billion rubles.

Gazprom's profit from sales in 2014 decreased by 17% - from 1.6 trillion to 1.3 trillion rubles.

2012: Femen Ukrainian women protest

On February 13, 2012, in severe frosts in Moscow, girls from the Ukrainian feminist movement stripped to the waist near Gazprom's office. On posters, the leaders of the Russian gas concern were called "gangsters." The bodies of the protesters were also full of appeals to Gazprom^[8].

Gazprom security officers detained all the protesters. This is not the first time the Ukrainian movement Femen has organized actions in Moscow. On the eve of the protest "For Fair Elections" on Sakharov Avenue, they undressed near the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

Femen usually hosts similar events at home. The girls protested against sex tourism, hot water outages, the unsuccessful performance of the Ukrainian national team at the Olympics, etc.

Feminists also traveled to New York, where they undressed in support of the Occupy Wall Street campaign.

The girl's desire to be naked in a public place is explained by civic activity.

2011

The second phase of UGS "Haydach" in Austria was put into operation

In May 2011, in Salzburg, Austria, Gazprom, RAG and WINGAS (a joint venture of Gazprom and Wintershall AG) completed the construction of the largest underground gas storage facility in Austria and the second largest in Central Europe, Haydach. The commissioning of the second stage of UGS allowed to increase the total volume of active gas in the storage to 2.8 billion cubic meters. m, daily productivity - up to 28 million cubic meters. At the same time, the volume of natural gas stored in Haidakh by Gazprom reached 1.9 billion cubic meters. m, which corresponds to 2/3 of the facility power.

Cooperation between Gazprom and Wintershall continued in the direction of developing joint projects in gas production. In October 2011, a framework agreement was signed in Germany between Gazprom and Wintershall for the exchange of assets. The document provides for the possibility of joint development of two sections of the Achimov deposits of the Urengoy field, as well as the receipt by Gazprom of equivalent stakes in Wintershall oil and gas projects for exploration and production in the North Sea.

The Dzhubga - Lazarevskoye - Sochi gas pipeline was put into operation

In June 2011, the first offshore gas pipeline was commissioned to supply gas to Russian consumers - Dzhubga - Lazarevskoye - Sochi - a key power supply facility for the 2014 Olympic Games.

The length of the offshore part of the gas pipeline is about 150 km, the capacity is 3.8 billion cubic meters per year. The gas pipeline will actively develop gasification of Sochi and the Tuapse district of the Krasnodar Territory, improve the quality of life of the population and give a powerful impetus to the development of the resort business of the region, in particular, it will make it possible to completely transfer the Black Sea health resorts to a year-round operating mode.

The largest consumer of gas on this line will be the Adler TPP. The 360 MW combined cycle station will be a key facility power the city of Sochi and surrounding areas. During the 2014 Olympics, the station will provide more than a third of the projected power load.

Record dividends paid

In June 2011, Gazprom shareholders approved the amount of dividends based on the results of the company's activities for 2010 - 3.85 rubles per share. This is a record level of dividends in the history of Gazprom. 25% of the net profit of the parent company for 2010, calculated according to Russian accounting standards, was allocated for their payment.

Dividends are calculated on the basis of the dividend policy, which takes into account the current conditions of OAO Gazprom, in particular its presence in the share capital of large oil and electric power public companies, and is aimed at increasing the transparency of the calculation and predictability of the level of dividend payments.

Negotiations on the construction of a gas pipeline to the Republic of Korea

In August 2011, President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev and Chairman of the DPRK State Defense Committee Kim Jong Il reached an agreement on a project to supply natural gas from Russia to the Korean Peninsula through a pipeline.

Alexey Miller and Kogas Chief Executive Officer Zhu Kang Su Sign Roadmap for Korea Gas Supply Project

In pursuance of these agreements, Gazprom and the Ministry of Oil Industry of the DPRK signed a memorandum of understanding in September 2011. Also in September 2011, Gazprom and South Korean Kogas signed a roadmap for the gas pipeline construction project. The pipeline will diversify natural gas sources for the growing South Korean economy, which currently receives exclusively liquefied natural gas and is the world's second LNG importer after Japan.

Sakhalin-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok GTS put into operation

In September 2011, Gazprom commissioned the key facility of the Unified Gas Supply System of Russia in the east of the country - the Sakhalin-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok gas transmission system and began gas supplies to Primorsky Krai. With the launch of the GTS, a large-scale gasification of the Far East was launched, conditions were created for gas supplies to the Asia-Pacific countries.

Sakhalin Head Compressor Station - Initial Point of the Sakhalin-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok Gas Transmission System

The length of the first launch complex of the GTS amounted to 1350 km, productivity - 6 billion cubic meters. m of gas per year. The GTS was built in record time - in two years, in exact accordance with the deadlines established by the Government of the Russian Federation. Bringing the system to full capacity will ensure the possibility of annual transportation of about 30 billion cubic meters. m of Sakhalin gas.

Agreement signed by the shareholders of the offshore section "South Stream AG"

In September 2011, the Agreement of the shareholders of the offshore section of the South Stream AG project was signed. In accordance with the document, the German company Wintershall Holding and the French EDF received 15% each in the project due to a 30% reduction in ENI's share. As a result, the shares in the offshore section of the project were distributed as follows:

• OAO Gazprom - 50%,
• ENI — 20%,
• Wintershall Holding и EDF — по 15%.

Henri Proglio (EDF), Harald Schwager (BASF), Vladimir Putin, Alexey Miller and Paolo Scaroni (Eni)

Thus, the project received the support of the largest players in the European energy market.

Commissioning of UGS "Banatsky Dvor"

In November, the Banatsky Dvor underground gas storage facility was commissioned, the construction of which was carried out by the joint venture Gazprom and the Serbiyagaz state enterprise. It is one of the largest UGS in Southeast Europe. The storage facility provides additional reliability of Russian gas export supplies to Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Commissioning of the Banatsky Dvor UGS is, in fact, the launch of the first facility within the framework of the South Stream AG project. Read more about Gazprom's business in Serbia here.

Turkey gave the go-ahead for the construction of the South Stream AG

In December 2011, Turkey issued a permit for the construction of the South Stream AG gas pipeline through the country's exclusive economic zone. At the same time, Gazprom and Botas signed additions to contracts for the supply of gas to Turkey in 2012, which allow increasing the volume of supplies.

Fazil Schenel and Alexey Miller sign the documents in the presence of Taner Yildiz and Vladimir Putin. Photo RIA Novosti

New production facilities have been introduced in the Nadym-Pur-Tazovsky region and Kamchatka

Gas production began at the Nydinskaya area of the Medvezhnoye field, from the Valanginian deposits of the Zapolyarnoye field and the Turonian deposits of the South Russkoye field. An integrated approach to the development of traditional production regions through the involvement of satellite fields and deeper productive horizons than Cenomanian ones allows Gazprom to successfully increase production capacity.

Integrated Gas Treatment Unit for Nydinskoye Section of Medvezhskoye Field

In October 2011, on the west coast of Kamchatka, Gazprom began gas production at the Nizhne-Kvakchikskoye field, and also ensured the conclusion of the Kshukskoye field to a design capacity of 175 million cubic meters. m per year. In the future, 750 million cubic meters are planned to be produced at these fields. m of gas per year.

Began commercial gas deliveries via Nord Stream gas pipeline

In November 2011, the first line of the Nord Stream gas pipeline was commissioned. For the first time, Russian and European gas transmission systems were connected directly.

From left: French Prime Minister François Fillon, Head of E.ON Johannes Teyssen, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Danish Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Gazprom Chief Alexei Miller and Euro-Commissioner for Energy Guenter Oettinger

The design capacity of the first line of Nord Stream is 27.5 billion cubic meters. m of gas per year. This is exactly half of the total design capacity of the entire gas pipeline. By the end of 2011, more than 900 km or more than 76% of the second line had already been built, it will be commissioned in 2012.

Beltransgaz moved to Gazprom

In November 2011, OJSC Gazprom"" and OJSC "Beltransgaz" signed contracts for the supply of gas to Belarus and its transportation through the territory of the republic in 2012-2014. The documents were developed taking into account the entry into Russia Belarus the Unified Economic Space and the Customs Union, which implies the establishment of equal conditions for the economic entities of both countries.

Alexey Miller and General Director of OJSC Beltransgaz Vladimir Mayorov in the office of Beltransgaz

Also in November 2011, Gazprom and the State Property Committee of the Republic of Belarus signed a purchase and sale agreement for 50% of Beltransgaz shares. Taking into account the 50% stake in Beltransgaz already acquired by Gazprom in 2007-2010, Gazprom became the owner of a 100% stake in the company, which will be called Gazprom Transgaz Belarus.

Commenting on the acquisition of Beltransgaz, Vladimir Putin made a reservation... " acquiring 100% of the gas transmission system of Ukraine. "

Record investments aimed at gasification of Russia

In 2011, Gazprom's investments in gasification of Russian regions reached a record high - over 29 billion rubles. As part of the Gasification Program, Gazprom built in 2011 almost 500 inter-settlement gas pipelines with a total length of about 2500 km for gas supply to more than 390 settlements in 49 regions of the Russian Federation.

Construction of the gas pipeline crane unit

Over 1.7 GW of generating capacity built

In 2011, Gazprom built over 1.7 GW of generating capacity. This is more than RAO UES of Russia built for the entire period of its existence.

In particular, in April 2011, Gazprom commissioned a combined-cycle power unit PGU-450 the Southern Thermal Power Plant TGK-1 St. Petersburg. This makes it possible to solve the problem of electricity shortage in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region, to increase reliability and expand the possibilities of heat supply to the southern regions of the city, to provide energy needs for the development of the industrial and business complex of the ring road.

CHPP-26

In June 2011, Gazprom commissioned power unit No. 8 of the PGU-420 TETs-26 of Mosenergo OJSC. PGU-420 TETs-26 is a combined-cycle power unit with high efficiency and economy. In terms of technical characteristics, it is the most modern and effective in Russia. The new unit operates in combined heat and electricity generation mode, producing them for residents of Moscow and nearby satellite cities.

2009

Gazprom is the only major energy company in the BRIC countries that has managed not to increase the production of its main resource since the foundation. In contrast, production fell from 559.3 billion to 461.4 billion cubic meters from 1993 to 2009. m, or 17.5% (Petrobras increased production 3.6 times from 1993 to 2009, PetroChina increased it 2.5 times in 2000-2009, and the "lagging" Indian ONGC - by 18% in 2001-2009^[9]. We add that gas production in Uzbekistan during the post-Soviet period increased 1.5 times, and in Kazakhstan - 5.8 times. At the same time, Gazprom experienced a noticeable reduction in production amid numerous transactions to acquire new production assets.

Gazprom managed to resist all the new trends (or rather, not to pay attention to them) that have manifested themselves in the gas industry over the past 20 years. Over the years, it has not been able to develop a single field on the shelf, has not been able to launch liquefied natural gas production, which in 2008 accounted for 27% of global gas exports. (the plant within the framework of the Sakhalin-2 project was built by the Japanese and Americans and then bought by Gazprom), did not notice the start of development of shale gas, which already provides 12% of production in, USA is sold on the American market at a price of $100-120 per 1000 cubic meters. m and by 2025 it can turn into a major gas exporter... Poland. All this seems insignificant to Russian gas workers, the leadership of Gazpromexport has repeatedly and directly called the forecasts that the development of shale gas will make the United States a net exporter of gas "unrealistic."

Instead, Gazprom prefers traditional long-term contracts and a clumsy system of pipeline exports that are becoming implausibly expensive. As a result, in the first quarter of 2010, its gas cost 3.1-3.3 times more in Europe than delivered by tankers from Qatar, and supplies to non-CIS countries decreased by 23.9% in 2009. Recent decisions by German courts, which forbade linking gas prices for end consumers to oil prices, could deal a serious blow to Gazprom's strategy in the European market. Today, the possibility that the Shtokman field, the commissioning of which has been postponed once again (now until 2017), may not be launched at all due to the unnecessarily high cost of produced gas is being actively discussed. Note also that the favorite hyperprojects of the Putin era - Nord Stream and South Stream AG - could pay off in 15-20 years only if the Europeans continued to buy gas from the Russian company in volumes and at 2009 prices. This prospect, alas, is today far from obvious.

Modernization can only then be referred to as such if it leads to increased efficiency and reduced costs. In 2000, the unit cost of gas production per barrel of oil equivalent amounted to Gazprom $3.8, and in 2008 - $14.8, an increase of 3.9 times (in most European oil and gas companies they increased over this period by no more than 60%, and PetroChina - by 33%). At the same time, Lukoil at the end of 2009 amounted to $3.56, a decrease of 14% over the year. Gazprom is the champion in unproductive use of money: in 2003-2008. twice as much money was spent on the purchase of new assets, including non-core ones, than on investments in gas exploration and production. As a result, the start of production at the Bovanenkovsky and Kharasaveisky fields was postponed from 2009 to 2011. But more and more money is being invested in the construction of pipelines - and by increasing debts. As of September 30, 2009, Gazprom's debt reached 1.76 trillion rubles. ($58 billion), or 57% of annual revenue (the corresponding figure for 2009 was 14.8% for Total, 12.6% for RoyalDutchShell, and 10.9% for British Petroleum).

Gazprom parasitizes on the Soviet heritage even more than the country as a whole, taking advantage of its monopoly position, unique even for modern Russia. Only in the gas industry there is a total export monopoly, and only gas prices increased in the domestic market from 2000 to 2010 by 8.25 times.

Modernization is unthinkable without openness and transparency. Gazprom is the reverse champion. Minority shareholders are deprived of the opportunity to influence decision-making, and financial flows are controlled through Gazprombank, which - miraculously! - belongs (together with Sogaz and Gazfond) to Rossiya Bank, whose assets as of the end of 2008 were 27 (!) Times less than the assets of these three respectable organizations. But, apparently, only... tangible assets. There are probably others.

2008: Skyscraper scandal in St. Petersburg

The administration St. Petersburg is revoking the city's high-rise regulations to allow Gazprom to build the Okhta Center skyscraper.

The St. Petersburg intelligentsia desperately protests against the tower, they say, the skyscraper violates the city's high-rise regulations, adopted under Alexander I, according to which no buildings above 28 meters (the height of the Winter Palace) can be built in the center, and above 48 around the center. And exceptions can only be made for temples. "Gazprom has imagined itself above God," St. Petersburg intellectuals are angry. They also complain that the tower is planned to be built on the territory of the former Swedish fortress of Nienschanz, where construction is prohibited by Russian law.

All kinds of unions of architects (both St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Russian), and the powerful director of the Hermitage Mikhail Piotrovsky, and city oppositionists, and even UNESCO, threatening to exclude St. Petersburg from the list of world architectural heritage, oppose the construction of the tower.

2007: State Duma allows Gazprom armed detachments to guard pipelines

The State Duma allows Gazprom to have its own armed detachments to protect pipelines

2006: Gazprom-Media, Gazfond and Gazprombank come under the control of Yury Kovalchuk's Rossiya Bank

• In 2006, Gazfond, Gazprombank and Gazprom-Media came under the control of Rossiya Bank (chairman of the board of directors - Yuri Kovalchuk).

• In 2006, during numerous internal asset exchanges, the largest Russia media holding in Gazprom disappeared from direct control. Gazprom media The holding's shares were transferred to the balance sheet of Gazprombank even before Gazfond got a controlling stake in the bank, i.e. it fell into the business empire of Rossiya Bank and Yuri Kovalchuk. When in July 2005 the shares of the Gazprom-Media group and NTV and TNT channels were transferred to Gazprombank (then it was still an ordinary internal transaction within the Gazprom group), Gazprom received only 166 million for these assets from Gazprombank. dollars

However, two years later, after Gazprom-Media, as part of Gazprombank's assets, migrated to the control of Rossiya Bank, then Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced the data of a new estimate of the value of Gazprom-Media's assets - $7.5 billion. It turns out that Gazprom gave these assets tenfold - or more than $7.3 billion - cheaper than real value.

2005

State buyback of 10.7% of Gazprom

In the report "Putin and Gazprom," published in 2008, the authors (Boris Nemtsov and President of the Institute for Energy Policy, former Deputy Minister of power of the Russian Federation Vladimir Milov) mention "one incomprehensible story with Gazprom shares -" buyback "by the state of 10.7% of shares in the summer of 2005 in order to bring the state stake in Gazprom to controlling."

<…> The state could actually regain control with little blood, for relatively little money, transferring shares from the balance sheet of Gazprom's subsidiaries to the balance sheet of the parent company and redeeming them as treasury shares. In this case, the state would increase its stake for free from 39.3% to almost 48%, and the remaining slightly more than 2% of shares could be purchased on the market (the value of such a stake would be no more than 500-700 million in 2003 dollars).

Such proposals were discussed in the Russian government back in 2000. Paying a huge amount of money from the budget to buy back Gazpromsk shares was obviously unreasonable from an economic point of view - wouldn't it be better to spend these public funds, for example, to overcome the deficit of the Pension Fund?

However, the state preferred, firstly, to wait until Gazprom's market capitalization grows and the redeemable shares rise in price, and secondly, instead of the non-costly repayment of treasury shares, buy back 10.7% of the shares from Gazprom for a lot of money in the summer of 2005. $7.2 billion of budget funds were spent on the buyback - 10 times more than the money for which it would be possible to buy 2% of Gazprom's shares in the market in 2003. In a couple of months, in September 2005, this money will be used to pay for the transaction to buy out the oil company Sibneft from Roman Abramovich.

<…> The budget lost at least $6.5 billion on this deal. I wonder if such a "deal" fits the definition of "criminal embezzlement of budget funds"?^[10]

Purchase of Sibneft from Abramovich

In September-November 2005, Gazprom bought a 75% stake in Sibneft from Millhouse Capital, which is considered owned by Roman Abramovich.

Now, almost three years after the end of the deal on Sibneft, it is safe to state that Gazprom's entry into the management of the oil business turned out to be a failure. The average daily oil production of Sibneft fell from 95.8 thousand tons per day in September 2005, when the company was bought, to 84.7 thousand tons in June 2008 - or 11.5% in less than three years.

Gazprom invested $13.7 billion in the failed project in terms of production results, obviously overpaying Roman Abramovich's structures. The curator of this deal was directly Putin. However, no one was responsible for the mediocre and failed project to buy Sibneft, Nemtsov and Milov^[10].

• In 2005, Gazprom began building the Nord Stream gas pipeline to Germany. The operator of the gas pipeline under construction is headed by ex-German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.

• In 2005, after Viktor Yushchenko's victory in the presidential election, Gazprom sharply increases the price of gas for Ukraine.

Scheme with Rosukrenergo

Since 2005, EuralTransGas has ceded the role of intermediary in operations in the Turkmenistan-Russia gas triangle Ukraine , registered Switzerland with Rosukrenergo, which received the exclusive right to resell Turkmen gas. To Ukraine The founders of Rosukrenergo were Gazprombank 50% and unknown persons. Suspicions of involvement of criminal authorities in Rosukrenergo and EuralTransGas have repeatedly sounded, later businessmen Dmitry Firtash and Ivan Fursin admitted to owning shares in these companies. Despite the fact that now Gazprom through Gazprombank received its share of profits from the resale of Turkmen gas to Ukraine and its subsequent re-export to Europe, the share of profits that Gazprom did not get and left in 2005 to the then unknown co-owners of Rosukrenergo amounted to 478 million. dollars

Thus, in 2004-2005, Gazprom simply gave incomprehensible intermediaries $1.25 billion in profits from the trade in Turkmen gas with Ukraine.

However, the role of Rosukrenergo in the future only expanded. After the infamous gas agreement between Russia and Ukraine of January 4, 2006, Rosukrenergo obtained exclusive resale rights for all Russian and Central Asian gas to Ukraine. With this agreement, direct contractual relations between Gazprom and Naftogaz Ukrainy were liquidated. This scheme was not commercially successful for Gazprom.

<...> Combined with the losses of funds in previous years due to the use of intermediaries in relations for the supply of Turkmen gas to Ukraine, Gazprom thus lost about $5 billion on "intermediary" scams.^[10]<…>

2004: Sale of Sogaz to a subsidiary of Rossiya Bank

• By the beginning of 2004, the Russian Federation owned 38.7% of Gazprom's shares and had a majority on the Board of Directors. In 2004, Russian President Vladimir Putin promised to join the state-owned company Rosneft to Gazprom. This would bring the state's share in Gazprom to more than 50%, after which all restrictions on the sale of Gazprom shares abroad would be lifted. Gazprom failed to buy the bankrupt Yukos company, instead it was bought by Rosneft. The reason was that on December 15, 2004, Yukos declared itself bankrupt in Houston, Texas, USA, after which the purchase of this company began to contradict American laws. Fearing American sanctions, Gazprom retreated, as a result of which on December 19, 76.79% of the shares of Yuganskneftegaz (the main company of Yukos) were sold to the little-known company Baikalfinansgroup. 3 days later, on December 22, Baikalfinancgrup was sold to Rosneft.

• In 2004, the sale of Sogaz was the first example of the transfer of Gazprom's assets to the ownership of Putin's personal friends, according to a report by Putin and Gazprom.

Sogaz - Insurance Society of the Gas Industry is one of the largest insurance companies in Russia. In 2004, Sogaz ranked 6th in the ranking of Russian insurance companies with an insurance premium of about $500 million.

<…> Sogaz was sold by Gazprom<…> to a consortium of Eurofinance Mosnarbank, Severstal Group and Rossiya Bank. From Sogaz's statements for the first quarter of 2005, it became clear that 51% of Sogaz was later resold to the 100% subsidiary of the St. Petersburg bank Rossiya, Abros. Another 12.5% were under the control of Accept, which owns 3.93% of Rossiya Bank.

According to Russian media, Accept is 99.99% owned by Mikhail Shelomov, the son of a cousin of Russia's second president, Vladimir Putin.

Bank "Russia" was created in 1990, its main depositor was the management of the affairs of the Leningrad regional committee of the CPSU. According to Russian media, the bank's largest shareholder is the chairman of its board of directors, Yuri Kovalchuk, who has known President Putin since his work in St. Petersburg. According to media reports, Yuri Kovalchuk is one of the closest businessmen to Vladimir Putin. <…>

So Gazprom lost control of the largest insurance company. After coming under the control of Rossiya Bank, Sogaz's business grew rapidly: the insurance premium increased from $500 million in 2004 to almost $1.5 billion in 2007. According to Russian media, the main factor in the growth of the premium was the conclusion of contracts with large state-owned companies (including Rosenergoat (SAP ERP), Russian Railways and others <…>).

According to the management of Rossiya Bank, the purchase of Sogaz cost them about $120 million.<…>^[10]

2003: The Battle for the Purchase of Gas in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan

• In 2003, thanks to the efforts of Alisher Usmanov, it was possible to return to Gazprom's control 100% of Severneftegazprom, which owns the largest South Russian field, controlling stakes in Zapsibgazprom and Sibur, as well as more than 50% of Stroytransgaz shares.

Celebration on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Gazprom. From left to right: former head of Gazprom Ram Vyakhirev, chairman of the board of Gazprom Alexei Miller, chairman of the board of directors of the company Dmitry Medvedev and Viktor Chernomyrdin. February 14, 2003

• February 25, 2003 placed 10-year bonds of participation in a loan under rule 144A in the amount of $1.75 billion. OAO Gazprom was awarded the International Financial Review magazine award for the best issue of 2003 in the nominations "Emerging Market Bonds" and "Bonds of Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa Markets."

• On April 1, 2003, a purchase and sale agreement was concluded on the acquisition by Gazprom of the property of the Kaunas CHPP.

• On May 12, 2003, a gas cooperation agreement was signed with the Korea Gas Corporation (Kogaz).

• On May 28, 2003, the first stage of pre-investment development was carried out as part of the implementation of the Central Asia Center project with the aim of reconstructing and modernizing the existing gas transmission system and creating new gas transmission capacities in this direction.

• In May 2003, preparatory work began with potential partners in the North European Gas Pipeline (SEG) project. SEG is recognized as a strategically important and promising project. In the presence of the President Russia and Prime Minister Great Britain , a bilateral Russian-British Memorandum of Cooperation on the North-European Gas Pipeline was signed.

• On June 10, 2003, work was completed on the construction of the second and third stages of the South Pars field (Iran) as part of the work of the international consortium for the development of the field.

• June 17, 2003 began gas supplies to Armenia.

• On June 19, 2003, an Agreement with Bashkortostan on cooperation for 5 years was signed.

• On June 24, 2003, the Volgogradskaya compressor station on the existing gas pipeline was commissioned.

• On July 17, 2003, a joint venture of Gazprom and Wintershall AG (Germany) was established to develop Achimov deposits of the Urengoy field - Achimgaz.

• On July 21, 2003, Gazprom acquired a 20% stake in KazRosGaz, increasing its stake in this company to 50%. This acquisition will make it possible to gain a foothold in the Central Asian gas market and increase flexibility and maneuverability in the field of diversification of gas sources.

• On July 22, 2003, a long-term agreement for the purchase of gas in Uzbekistan was signed.

• On July 22, 2003, it was agreed to acquire a 100% stake in the authorized capital of the special project company West East Pipeline Project Investment B.V. created in the Netherlands to participate in the West-East project.

• On July 22, 2003, Euromoney magazine awarded Gazprom the highest award for placing bonds in the Russian and Western markets.

• On July 31, 2003, an agreement was signed on gas supplies to Georgia.

• On August 6, 2003, negotiations were held between Gazprom and the Ministry of Energy and Mining of Venezuela, during which they considered possible areas of cooperation in the exploration and development of gas fields, the development of gas infrastructure, gasification and processing of natural gas.

EuralTransGas opaque schemes

• On August 18, 2003, a long-term agreement was signed for the purchase of gas in Turkmenistan.

A dubious scheme using opaque intermediaries to resell Turkmen gas to Ukraine and then re-export part of it to Europe was created by Putin's group back in 2002. During the time of Rem Vyakhirev, Itera was engaged in such dubious operations. <…>

At the beginning of Putin's presidency, there were serious hopes that such mediators would disappear from relations in the Turkmenistan-Russia-Ukraine gas triangle, and Gazprom would directly benefit from participating in these relations.

However, already in 2003, the intermediary company EuralTransGas, registered in Hungary by four individuals in 2002, replaced Iteru, which enjoyed the favor of Rem Vyakhirev. In 2004, according to Vadim Kleiner from the investment fund Hermitage Capital Management (William Browder, the head of this fund, was later denied a Russian visa, and persecution was opened against the fund's employees in Russia), a Gazprom shareholder who tried to protest the withdrawal of funds from the company, Gazprom gave an intermediary of EuralTransGas $767 million in profits from the resale of Turkmen gas to Ukraine and its subsequent re-export.^[10]

• On September 9, 2003, a number of meetings of the Chairman of the Board of Gazprom OJSC with representatives of the government and management of US energy companies took place. Favorable conditions have been created for Gazprom to enter the American liquefied gas market.

• On September 19, 2003, the Fitch international rating agency assigned Gazprom a long-term rating of liabilities in foreign and national currencies at the BB level. This is one point below Russia's sovereign rating. The rating forecast is "stable."

• September 19, 2003 placed the issue of 7-year bonds of participation in a loan in the amount of 1 billion euros. It was the largest issue of euro denominated bonds ever made by corporate issuers of emerging economies, as well as the first corporate Medium Term Eurobonds (EMTN) Program in Russia.

• September 24, 2003 discovered the Obskoye field.

• On October 4, 2003, a new pipeline was commissioned: Karachaganak field (Kazakhstan) - Orenburg Gas Processing Plant (Russia).

• On October 23, 2003, a cooperation agreement was signed between Gazprom and the Voronezh Region.

• On October 31, 2003, the Vyngayakhinskoye gas field was commissioned.

• November 14, 2003 produced one hundredth billion cubic meters of gas at the Zapolyarnoye field.

• On November 24, 2003, the international rating agency Standard and Purz upgraded Gazprom's rating to BB-.

• On November 27, 2003, the concept of developing the continental shelf and the program of offshore exploration for oil and gas until 2030 were approved.

• December 16, 2003 delivered the first billion cubic meters of gas through the Blue Stream gas pipeline.

• On December 22, 2003, the second launch complex of the UKPG-2S and the first launch complex of the UKPG-3S Zapolyarnoye oil and gas condensate field with a total capacity of 32.75 billion m3 of gas per year were put into operation.

• On December 24, 2003, an agreement was signed on the creation of a consortium between Gazprom, Rosneft and Surgutneftegas. The parties agreed to combine efforts on the integrated development of oil and gas fields in Eastern Siberia and the Far East, taking into account the needs of the domestic market and possible exports to the markets of China and the Asia-Pacific countries.

• On December 25, 2003, a purchase and sale agreement for 34% of the shares of the Lithuanian company Lietuvos Duios was initialed.

• On December 25, 2003, an agreement was signed on gas supplies to Azerbaijan.

• On December 26, 2003, the Stavropolskaya compressor station on the existing gas pipeline was commissioned.

• In December, the goal of stabilizing gas production and reaching the level of 530 billion m3 in 2003 was fulfilled. Production in the reporting year amounted to 540.2 billion m3. A decision was made to reach new production lines - 580-590 billion m3 in 2020.

2001: Gazprom takes NTV from Gusinsky, Miller replaces Vyakhirev

• In 2001-2003, Vladimir Putin actively reformed the leadership of Gazprom. These reforms were actively assisted by former Russian Finance Minister Boris Fedorov and Hermitage Capital Management Director William Browder.

• In January 2001, according to the Euromani magazine (Project Finance), the Blue Stream project was recognized as the European deal of the year. This decision was made due to the technical complexity of the project and the creation of a unique safety system for the gas pipeline along the bottom of the Black Sea.

• At the beginning of the year, a feasibility study was formed for the construction of a gas pipeline from Russia to Europe in transit through Finnish territorial waters along the bottom of the Baltic Sea. The project is designed to transport Russian gas from the Shtokman field offshore the Barents Sea.

• In the spring of 2001, intensive work was carried out on the development of the Zapolyarnoye gas condensate field, which is part of the Yamal group of fields. At the first five-year stage of its operation, Gazprom plans to invest 40 billion rubles in gas production. Commissioning of the field is scheduled for September 2001.

• In April 2001, with the participation of Gazprom, a presentation of the helicopter of the new Ka-226 model was held, finalized taking into account the needs of the gas industry. The machines will be purchased to upgrade the company's helicopter fleet.

• On May 30, 2001, a meeting of the Board of Directors of OAO Gazprom was held, at which a decision was made to terminate the powers of the Chairman of the Management Board of the Company R.I. Vyakhirev due to the expiration of the employment contract. A.B. Miller, who previously served as Deputy Minister of power of the Russian Federation, was appointed the new Chairman of the Management Board of OAO Gazprom.

At the first meeting with Gazpromovtsy, Alexey Miller assured that there would be no personnel changes. A few months later, a real personnel revolution took place at Gazprom - on September 3, at the morning planning meeting, Gazprom's chairman of the board, Alexei Miller, announced a reshuffle in the company's management. All key financial positions were occupied by "St. Petersburg." As a result of the appointments made, Gazpromtsev, loyal to Rem Vyakhirev, who managed the main financial flows of the company, were removed from business.

Within a few months, the St. Petersburg team managed to find out that Gazprom is no longer the Gazprom that was five years ago: part of the assets was concentrated in the hands of the company's ex-managers and structures close to them, the other part (fields, sales markets) went to Iter.

But Alexey Miller first saved - on October 25, 2001, he recommended that the members of the board of directors refuse to return the Item Holding of Purgaz OJSC withdrawn at one time. However, during his visit to Novy Urengoy, Vladimir Putin noted: "It is necessary to take property issues seriously, otherwise you will disperse your mouth, and you will not have not only SIBUR, but also other enterprises." The president's hint turned out to be^[11]

• On June 29, 2001, the next Annual General Meeting of Gazprom Shareholders was held. 6,790 shareholders took part in it directly and through their representatives. They represented 546,344 shareholders holding 92.29% of the total shares. Chairman of the Management Board of OAO Gazprom A.B. Miller made a report on the results of the Company's activities in 2000. He stressed that the recent changes in the management of the Company will in no way affect the strategic course chosen by the company. They are designed to ensure continuity in its work in order to increase the successes achieved. Among the immediate tasks of paramount importance is the stabilization of gas production. According to A.B. Miller, Gazprom's management will take all measures to maintain the reliability of gas supply to consumers and increase the efficiency of the company, increase its profitability, taking into account, first of all, the interests of the state as the main shareholder of Gazprom OJSC. The meeting approved the annual report on the performance of Gazprom in 2000, the proposed changes to the Company's Charter (27 changes in total) The meeting elected a new Board of Directors. At its first meeting, the following were elected: Chairman of the Board of Directors of OAO Gazprom - R.I. Vyakhirev, Deputy Chairman - D.A. Medvedev.

• On September 20, 2001, OAO Gazprom, ZAO Rosself and NK Rosneft signed a cooperation agreement providing for the development of the Prirazlomnoye oil field located on the shelf of the Pechora Sea.

• On October 1, 2001, the first Russian gas arrived in Holland through the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline system.

• On October 4, 2001, Gazprom and Rosneft signed an agreement to join forces in the development of five large fields located in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug and on the Barents Sea shelf: Kharampursky oil and gas condensate, Vyngayakhinsky gas and oil, Etypurovsky oil and gas, Prirazlomny oil and Shtokman gas condensate.

• On October 15, 2001, Gazprom and the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) signed a Cooperation Agreement. The Chairman of the Management Board of the company Alexey Miller handed over a check for 600 thousand dollars to the President of the ROC Leonid Tyagachev.

• On October 31, 2001, the solemn launch of the Zapolyarnoye gas and oil condensate field took place in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. In terms of gas reserves, Zapolyarnoye ranks fifth in the international ranking of open gas fields. The design capacity of the field is 100 billion cubic meters. m of gas per year.

• Gazprom takes NTV from Vladimir Gusinsky. On November 8, 2001, in pursuance of the decision of the Cheryomushkinsky Inter-Municipal Court of Moscow dated May 4, 2001, shares constituting 25% of the authorized capital of NTV-Plus CJSC, TNT-Teleset CJSC and Seven Days Publishing House CJSC were transferred to the ownership of a subsidiary of Gazprom-Media OJSC - Lidville Investments Limited.

• On November 29, 2001, the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan signed an agreement on cooperation in the gas industry for a period of 10 years. On the Russian side, Gazprom is the authorized organization for the implementation of the agreement.

• On December 18, 2001, a solemn meeting of gas industry workers and industry veterans dedicated to the production of 10 trillion cubic meters was held at the central office of Gazprom OJSC. m of natural gas.

• On December 20, 2001, Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Board of Gazprom, was elected to the Bureau of the Board of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP).

2000: President Putin visits Gazprom office

• In January 2000, Gazprom won a tender for the development of a gas field in India on the shelf of the Bay of Bengal.

• In January, a cooperation agreement was signed between Gazprom and BASF/Wintershall AG in the scientific and technical field in the field of telecommunications, automation and informatics for 2000.

Asset withdrawal to Tarkosaleneftegaz and Zapsibgazprom

• In 2000, Gazprom reduced its stake in Tarkosaleneftegaz from 46% to 8%, parting with assets worth $60 billion. Tarkosaleneftegaz is developing the East-Tarkosalinskoye field, which is unique in the presence of industrial reserves of all three types of hydrocarbon raw materials: over 389 billion cubic meters of gas, more than 16 million tons of condensate and almost 40 million tons of oil. In just one day, Itera acquired control over this field, concentrating 60% of Tarkosaleneftegaz's shares. Of these, 10% were registered with Itera itself, and 50% with the German holding TNG Holding GMBH close to it (familiar from the deal with Severneftegazprom).

• To withdraw assets from Zapsibgazprom, a subsidiary, Severneftegazprom, was created, which until 1998 was 100% owned by Vladimir Nikiforov's company. Having rewritten one of its most valuable assets to the newly minted subsidiary - the Yuzhno-Russkoye field (reserves are estimated at 800 billion cubic meters of gas), Zapsibgazprom abandoned its 100% stake in Severneftegazprom in favor of the German company TNG Holding GMBH (Frankfurt am Main) close to Itera. Their move at Zapsibgazprom was explained by the fact that the company does not have the money ($800 million) that is needed for the development of the South Russian field. In 2000, Gazprom did not have money (51.3 million rubles). First, the gas concern initiated an additional issue, and then refused to participate in the additional issue, so its stake in Zapsibgazprom was washed out from 51% to 33.9%. As a result, Zapsibgazprom began to own shareholders close to Yukos.

• On February 1, 2000, the constituent conference of the Interregional Trade Union Organization of Gazprom OJSC Neftegazstroyprofsoyuz of the Russian Federation was held. At the conference, the IGO Charter and the Regulation on the Audit Commission were approved. The 53-member IGO Council was elected as the governing body.

• On February 3, 2000, the first junction of the Blue Stream gas pipeline was welded.

• In March 2000, an agreement on scientific and technical cooperation for 2000 was signed between Gazprom and Rurgaz AG.

• In April 2000, at the company's central office in Moscow, a meeting was held between President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin and Gazprom executives.

• In April, Gazprom and the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences held a joint meeting on the problems of creating a fundamental basis for new technologies and the speedy re-equipment of the gas industry.

• On June 14, 2000, Gazprom and the Interros holding company entered into a master cooperation agreement.

• On June 15, 2000, Gazprom and Wintershall signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on the development of the Prirazlomnoye field in the Barents Sea.

• On June 30, 2000, the next Annual General Meeting of Gazprom Shareholders was held. The number of votes held by shareholders who participated in the meeting in person, through their representatives and sent ballots for voting to the counting commission, amounted to 90.75% of the total. The meeting approved decisions related to the financing of the Blue Stream project.

• July 25, 2000 announced the creation of the Caspian Oil Company. The constituent documents were signed by OAO Gazprom, Yukos and LUKOIL. The purpose of the formation of the NSC is the search, exploration and development of oil and gas fields in the Caspian basin. In the summer of 2000, intensive exploration was carried out on the Kara Sea shelf in the Ob Bay area. Their results indicated the presence of significant reserves of natural gas in this area (1-3 trillion cubic meters).

• On September 18, 2000, Gazprom signed an agreement with Gas de France, SNAM, Wintershall and Rurgaz AG to create a consortium for the construction of a gas pipeline from Poland to Slovakia.

• On November 15, 2000, at a trade union conference, a Tariff Agreement was adopted between the plenipotentiary representatives of OAO Gazprom and the management of the Company's administration for 2001-2003.

• In December 2000, the Yubileynoye gas field (Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug) was fully commissioned.

• On December 9, 2000, the opening of the modern Gazprom airport was held in Ostafyevo near Moscow. Regular flights of Gazpromavia aircraft to Yamal and other regions began. The airport is also intended for use by other airlines.

1999: Gazprom funds Primakov and Luzhkov

• In 1999, Gazprom financed Yevgeny Primakov and Yuri Luzhkov in their struggle against the Kremlin.

Removal of assets in Purgaz, Sibneftegaz, Sibur-Tyumen

In January 1999, Gazprom sold to Itera a controlling stake in the Urengoy gas production enterprise Rospan. Simultaneously with the stake, Itera received licenses for large gas fields - Novourengoy and East-Urengoy.

In 1999, Gazprom pledged 32% of Purgaz shares to Itera. Purgaz was created by Itera and Gazprom to develop the Gubkinsky gas field located in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. The confirmed gas reserves of the field are more than 380 billion cubic meters. According to this transaction, Gazprom had the opportunity to repurchase the shares of the enterprise, which he subsequently did, but already during the time of Alexei Miller.

In the same 1999, Gazprom's stake in Sibneftegaz was eroded: its 40% stake was reduced to 21% as a result of an additional issue in which Gazprom refused to participate in favor of Itera. An independent gas producer has established control over Gazprom assets worth $55 million: Itera has received licenses for three fields in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug - Pyrainoye, Zapadno-Zapolyarnoye and Beregovoye.

SIBUR-Tyumen was created by Sibur managers in 1999 to withdraw the main petrochemical assets of Western Siberia and became the only buyer of associated gas from oil companies. At the same time, in fact, the Tyumen enterprise did not belong to Sibur, but to structures close to its leadership. During the year, 10 gas processing plants (GPPs) of the Tyumen region and the Tobolsk Petrochemical Plant (TNHK) were transferred to SIBUR-Tyumen. In 2001, Surgut GPZ was sold to Surgutneftegaz.

• In February 1999, Gazprom and Eni signed a Memorandum of Understanding on joint participation in the implementation of the Blue Stream project.

• On June 30, 1999, the Annual General Meeting of Gazprom Shareholders was held. The society summed up the results of its five-year activities. It was possible to maintain the achieved high level of gas production, to ensure an increase in the production of condensate, gas processing products and liquid hydrocarbons. By a majority of votes of the meeting participants, 11 people were elected to the Board of Directors. The Meeting adopted the proposals of the Board of Directors to amend the Charter of OAO Gazprom.

• On August 26, 1999, an extraordinary General Meeting of Gazprom Shareholders was held, which made separate changes to the personal composition of the Board of Directors.

• In September and the following months, the priority section of the Yamal - gas pipeline was put into operation Europe on the territory Belarus from the Nesvizhskaya compressor station to the border with Poland; the entire linear part of the gas pipeline in Poland, Kondratki CS and Wloclawek CS Germany. A section from the Malnovo CS to the city of Rückersdorf (STEGAL gas pipeline) was commissioned on the territory. With the introduction of new sections of the gas pipeline, gas exports from the Russia new direction amounted to about 14 billion cubic meters in 2000. m.

• On December 21, 1999, Gazexport and Gazyuni signed a contract providing for the supply of Russian gas to the Netherlands.

1998: Chernomyrdin's resignation - tax claims - year-end losses

• In February 1998, an Agreement on Gazprom's strategic alliance with Eni was signed in Rome. Agreements were reached on the search and development of hydrocarbon resources in the Astrakhan region.

• In May 1998, the environmental project of Gazprom and Rurgaz AG was awarded the prize of the Federal Association of German Industry.

In the same month, Gazprom completed five-year negotiations with Rurgaz on gas purchases, having received 160 billion cubic meters of guaranteed sales in Europe by 2020. m "blue fuel."

• In May 1998, Gazprom and the Norwegian companies Statoil and Norsk Hydro signed a protocol of cooperation in Moscow on the continental shelf of the Pechora Sea.

• On March 23, 1998, Boris Yeltsin dismissed Viktor Chernomyrdin from the post of prime minister, and at the same time the government of Sergei Kiriyenko presented Gazprom with demands for the payment of multibillion-dollar tax debt. After the tax police began to confiscate Gazprom's property, the company was forced to pay taxes. This year, the company showed losses for the first time.

After five years of premiership, Viktor Chernomyrdin seemed irremovable and irrevocable. Under the sick and passive Boris Yeltsin, Viktor Chernomyrdin became the real master of the situation - it was in his hands that the main levers of power were. Therefore, the news of his resignation was tantamount to a revolution.

"With such a premiere, the president is not needed," they often said about him. And not admirers at all: it was this phrase that Boris Yeltsin Tanya and Valya, the president's daughter Tatyana Dyachenko and her future husband, and at that moment - the head of the Presidential Administration Valentin Yumashev. Both of them - and most importantly, Boris Berezovsky - were very worried about the inviolability and independence of Chernomyrdin. Chernomyrdin could not forgive Berezovsky for his unsuccessful attempt to take control of Gazprom. Berezovsky had long been at enmity with First Deputy Prime Minister Chubais, but was well aware that he would never be able to get rid of Chubais while Chernomyrdin was in the prime minister's chair. Finally, Berezovsky, Tanya and Valya could not help but think about the fact that 2000 is approaching - the year when Boris Yeltsin's second presidential term will expire and the next elections will be held in the country. They understood that if nothing was done, Chernomyrdin would become the next president. Remaining prime minister until 2000, he will simply be doomed to become president. The support of Gazprom and the governors will be a reliable guarantee of success.

Chernomyrdin recalled that this was his agreement with Yeltsin.

At the hunt in Zavidovo, they agreed to work together until 2000, and then Yeltsin will leave, losing the chair to Chernomyrdin. But Tanya, Valya and Berezovsky did not undertake any obligations. They could not help but think that under President Chernomyrdin they would lose their position. And they dreamed of getting rid of Chernomyrdin. To do this, Tatyana Dyachenko every evening turned on the news and showed her father how healthy and active Chernomyrdin achieves at the time when the sick Yeltsin is sitting at home. "With such a premiere, the president is not needed," she said over and over again.

In early March 1998, Viktor Chernomyrdin paid a visit to the United States and negotiated one-on-one with Vice President Albert Gore. A report lay on Yeltsin's table: Chernomyrdin behaves like a real head of state, and everyone perceives him in this capacity; Yeltsin is no longer taken into account. Until now, representing the country abroad was Yeltsin's exclusive prerogative.

Then Chernomyrdin went to Odessa for quadripartite negotiations with the presidents of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma, Moldova - Petr Luchinsky and the leader of the unrecognized Transnistrian Republic Igor Smirnov. Seeing in the next news release how freely Chernomyrdin is holding among the presidents, Yeltsin became angry and called the prime minister with the question: "Who sent you there?!"

But the last straw for Yeltsin was preparations for the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Prime Minister, scheduled for April 9, 1998. Officials, businessmen, politicians and artists prepared for it as a national holiday. The list of celebrations on the occasion of the anniversary of the future president was worked out to the smallest detail, gifts were prepared - ranging from cars and tapestries with a portrait of the prime minister and ending with a specially recorded disc by Lyudmila Zykina. Pompous speeches and praise - all this, presented skillfully, literally blew up Boris Yeltsin.

Two weeks before the anniversary of his faithful prime minister, the president signed a decree on his resignation.

On March 21, 1998, Yeltsin summoned Chernomyrdin to his Gorki-9 country residence and informed him that he had been fired. Moreover, the president tried to convince the prime minister, who had been faithful to him all these difficult years, that resignation was not a sign of disgrace at all. Yeltsin stated that Chernomyrdin, as a future successor, needs to focus on preparing for the 2000 presidential election. It is unclear whether Chernomyrdin believed that in order to support a person, he should be fired. But he did not argue.

In the afternoon, Valentin Yumashev came to Yeltsin and offered a list of four candidates for the post of prime minister: it included the speaker of the upper house of parliament Yegor Stroev, who managed to work in the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee, former Duma speaker Ivan Rybkin, Minister of Fuel and Power Sergei Kiriyenko and First Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov. Yeltsin dropped the first, because his appointment would shock the West. The latter - because the Duma would never approve it. Then Rybkin was also discarded - because Boris Berezovsky lobbied him too actively, and Yeltsin did not fully trust Berezovsky. So the young minister of the fuel and energy complex Kiriyenko remained. Only a month later, the Duma on the third attempt will approve him as prime minister.

Upon learning of the dismissal, Chernomyrdin immediately ordered to take his belongings out of the prime minister's office at the White House.

In the government building on Krasnopresnenskaya embankment, everyone was shocked. Over the years, it was the White House, once shot from tanks, and then restored and inhabited by government officials, that became the real center of Russia. It was in these corridors and in these offices that all decisions were made. The White House was like Rome, from where all roads diverged to all parts of the empire, and Chernomyrdin sat in it like a Roman emperor. He took into his submission any legionnaires, and they leaned before his authority.

The news of Chernomyrdin's resignation felt like another White House shooting. The staff of the apparatus fussed in panic, not understanding where they would go now: they would take their prime minister with them ("Where? How to go? Of course, to Gazprom! They say that Vyakhirev has already allocated 200 full-time units! ") Or will leave an inheritance to his successor. Officials seemed distraught: they began to rush around the White House, transmitting panic rumors, and a little later they began to make signs from the doors for themselves. In the prime minister's sector, the move began: day and night they carried palech, khokhloma, guns, sabers, paintings, books. Together with all these trinkets, the White House left its significance: the government building ceased to be the most important pole of Russia.

Numerous gifts accumulated at Chernomyrdin during the 63 months of the premiership began to be taken out on Saturday and finished only on Tuesday. Things were transported to Academician Sakharov Avenue: there, shortly before, the repair at the headquarters of the Our House - Russia movement, which was supposed to be the center of his future presidential campaign, was completed.

On Monday, March 23, Yeltsin's televised address was shown on TV: "We worked with Viktor Stepanovich for more than five years. He has done a lot for the country, I appreciate its thoroughness and reliability. Never doubted his loyalty and dedication, his human decency. " And he explained to the audience that he had instructed Chernomyrdin to focus on political preparations for the 2000 elections.

Chernomyrdin with all his appearance tried to inspire others that the president made the only right decision in this situation and the retired prime minister is grateful to him for this.

A slight panic was also felt in Gazprom. Indeed, in previous years, the gas giant and the government, despite all the problems, considered themselves to be one. Belodomovsky apparatchiks on this occasion once jokingly even composed a draft decree "On the unity of the state and RAO Gazprom," which included the following words: "The state and Gazprom are united. In the absence of the prime minister, he is replaced by the chairman of the board of Gazprom, and vice versa. " With the departure of Chernomyrdin, unity collapsed.

On April 9, Chernomyrdin turned sixty years old. The main celebrations were held at the headquarters of the NDR on Academician Sakharov Avenue. And in the evening there was another feast, for the elite - in the House of Receptions on the Sparrow Hills. There Chernomyrdin was congratulated by Boris Yeltsin and Rem Vyakhirev.

The head of Gazprom said that he had prepared the hero of the day "a small but expensive gift," and clarified: "Dear not with money, but with the memory of Gazprom." It was about a named orange driller's helmet. But it wasn't the whole gift. At the end of the evening, when Boris Yeltsin had already left, Rem Vyakhirev, hugging an old comrade, suddenly, not embarrassed by the witnesses, said:

"I will support you by all means available to me. We are long-time friends, we matured together at the gas fields of the Orenburg region.

• Do you want me to return to Gazprom? Chernomyrdin did not understand.

"Take it higher!" In the presidential election! - drilled Vyakhirev.

Soon the ChVS-2000 foundation was registered, which was supposed to be engaged in the election promotion of the former prime minister. However, his rating began to fall inexorably: articles compromising Chernomyrdin began to be published in the media more and more often, telling about the wealth he accumulated during the premiership and the corruption that flourished under him in the White House. Chernomyrdin himself preferred to dismiss the accusations:

"If the dirt isn't mine, it won't stick to me," he said.

Serious problems after the resignation of Chernomyrdin began to arise in Gazprom. The entire former system of relations between the government and Gazprom was broken. Prior to this, Chernomyrdin used Gazprom as his reliable rear and unconditional support, and Rem Vyakhirev at least every time expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that the government robbed him, but still obeyed.

• Of course, relations between Chernomyrdin and Vyakhirev were difficult, recalls Alexander Kazakov, who at that time was chairman of Gazprom's board of directors and at the same time deputy head of the presidential administration. - There could be no roughness between such people. There were, of course, conversations in elevated tones. Rem Ivanovich, the money that he was going to send to the development of the company, all the time had to give the state, because the state had nothing to pay salaries. People came out, banging helmets at the White House. Government - to Vyakhirev: "Rem Ivanovich, take a credit card." And he took. Everything was kept on Gazprom - he climbed into pitch debts to ensure the country's budget. But the country survived - thanks to Gazprom.

The Kiriyenko government had a different opinion about Gazprom. Young reformers were dissatisfied with Gazprom for a long time, back in the time of Chernomyrdin, and now, after the resignation of the founder of Gazprom, the young were with Rem Vyakhirev one on one. They did not feel any friendly feelings or reverence for Vyakhirev.

Prime Minister Kiriyenko visits Gazprom office

Finding himself without cover from the prime minister, tirelessly repeating the phrase "Let's not let Gazprom get rid of," Rem Vyakhirev was not immediately found how to behave. But closer to the summer, Gazprom realized that it was necessary to join the growing information war. Even before Chernomyrdin's resignation, Gazprom created a new division - Gazprom-Media, a holding that was supposed to manage all the media assets of the gas monopolist. Political analysts then believed that the main goal of Gazprom-Media was to be precisely the preparation for the election of Chernomyrdin as president - such would be the feasible friendly assistance of Rem Vyakhirev. But then it became clear that Gazprom Russia itself needed PR^[12]

• On June 26, 1998, the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of RAO Gazprom was held. According to the results of voting, 11 of its members were elected to the Board of Directors of the Company. The Russian Joint Stock Company Gazprom was transformed into Open Joint Stock Company Gazprom by the decision of the shareholders meeting.

Divestment at Sibur

In 1997, the privatization of Sibur was allowed, in which Gazprom played the main role. In the summer of 1998, at a privatization auction, a certain company Bonus-Invest (close to Gazprom's management) bought a 20.22% stake in SIBUR. And in December 1998, the auction for the sale of a controlling stake was won by Gazoneftekhimicheskaya Company CJSC (head Yakov Goldovsky), which received a loan of $120 million from Gazprombank secured by the purchased shares.

• In November 1998, Gazprom and LUKOIL established strategic partnership relations.

• On December 19, 1998, 2.5% of Gazprom's shares were acquired by Rurgaz AG for 660 million. dollars

• In 1998, an international audit of 70% of Gazprom's gas reserves was completed, confirming the reliability of the company's raw material base. In the same year, Gazprom's semi-annual financial statements prepared according to international standards were published for the first time.

1997: Agreement with Turkey, Blue Stream gas pipeline

• In 1997, oligarch Boris Berezovsky is trying to take control of Gazprom, but faces resistance from Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov.

Head of RAO Gazprom Rem Vyakhirev at a meeting with the owner of the NTV channel Gusinsky (Moscow, 1997)

• In January 1997, Gazprom and Neste signed a protocol on the creation of a joint company for the construction of a North European gas pipeline.

• In February, Gazprom adopted the Company's Scientific and Technical Policy Concept until 2015. The main provisions include: prospects for scientific and technological progress, activities to create new technology and technology, the development of scientific potential, staffing, work in the field of conversion, the role of international scientific and technical cooperation, principles for managing scientific and technical development, etc.

• On April 28, 1997, a Decree of the President of the Russian Federation was issued, on the basis of which Gazprom began structural restructuring, providing for the creation of favorable conditions for attracting investments, ensuring self-financing of the industry, the formation of more flexible state regulation in order to reliable gas supply.

• On June 28, 1997, the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of RAO Gazprom was held. The meeting approved the Board of Directors of the company in the amount of 11 people. The meeting discussed improving the mechanism of state participation in the company's activities, a program of measures in the field of development of the Russian natural gas market, a strategy for exporting gas raw materials abroad.

• In September 1997, a major contract was signed for the development of a number of sections of the South Pars field in the Persian Gulf with the participation, along with Gazprom, of Total (France) and Petronas (Malaysia).

• In November 1997, an agreement was signed on Gazprom's strategic alliance with the Royal Dutch/Shell group of companies.

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"But who did support it?"

• I found understanding with Nikolai Ivanovich Ryzhkov. Not immediately - several times I came to him, convinced him. But he:

• What about Gosplan, Gossnab? They won't understand.

"Let's explain. Let's push it. Let's agree.

• Will you personally lead your concern?

• Not in his own, but in the state. And not self-inflicted. There are plans, there are programs, you can still check. And - to ask.

Yes. Then I spoke with Nikolai Ivanovich Ryzhkov for a long time, left him after midnight. I went to the ministry, where two of my deputies were already waiting - Rem Vyakhirev and Vyacheslav Sheremet. And in the car - a call from Ryzhkov's secretariat:

• Viktor Stepanovich, tomorrow your question will be discussed at the presidium of the Council of Ministers.

We didn't sleep at night. Discussed the details... I remember the next day, before the meeting, one of Ryzhkov's deputies comes up to me and says:

• I won't help you, Victor Stepanovich, because I am against it, but I won't object either. Do as you know.

At a meeting of the presidium, I reported for less than an hour. In dead silence. It was wild for everyone: a person voluntarily leaves the union ministers, takes the initiative, and the fullness of responsibility for everything. (...)

I finished the performance, around - whispering, bewilderment... And then Alexandra Pavlovna Biryukova, deputy chairman of the Council of Ministers, who oversaw light industry, took the floor. And she said something like this:

"I listened to everything that the minister was reporting, and I didn't understand anything. But I want to say: why not try? All this is in the spirit of restructuring the country's economic mechanism, what are we afraid of? And what do we risk? Nothing. We all know Chernomyrdin well, there have never been any complaints against him. Let him try. If anything - yes, we will take off his head! And we will return everything to its place!

Everything was somehow discharged at once...

The decision has been made. We were released to "free swimming." And we organized on the basis of the Ministry of Gas Industry, the Gazprom concern^[13].</blockquote>

1985: Chernenko appoints Chernomyrdin as Minister of Gas Industry

In 1985, General Secretary Konstantin Chernenko appointed Viktor Chernomyrdin Minister of Gas Industry of the USSR

The first impression of personal acquaintance with Gorbachev is charming, smiling.

"Come in," he says. I looked at me:

• So young - and already in ministers!

He picks up the phone, calls Tikhonov Nikolai Alexandrovich, then he was the chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR:

• I have two candidates here, accept.

We go to Tikhonov to introduce ourselves as expected. He asks:

• And what, Victor, with the first deputy, Margulov, there will be no tensions?

• I don't have.

• Well, good. (...)

In the evening I arrived home, I think - how else will they decide when... I turn on the program "Time," and there the announcer reads: "A resolution of the Central Committee and the Council of Ministers of the USSR was adopted to dismiss the Minister of Oil Industry Maltsev and the Minister of Gas Industry Dinkov from his post..."

Then Dinkov told me: his elder brother was already retired then, he lived in Krasnodar, he also watched that program "Time"; as he heard "to relieve Dinkov of his post" - he grabbed his heart, began to lose consciousness... until the following phrase brought him back to life: "To appoint Vasily Alexandrovich Dinkov as Minister of the Oil Industry of the USSR, Viktor Stepanovich Chernomyrdin as Minister of the Gas Industry of the USSR."^[13]

Viktor Chernomyrdin at a meeting in Tyumentransgaz. 1980s.

1972

Allocation of one of the structures to the new ministry - Minneftegazstroy

The discovery of large gas deposits in Siberia, the Urals and the Volga region in the 1970s and 1980s made the USSR one of the largest gas producing countries.

In 1972, the Ministry of Construction of Enterprises for the Oil and Gas Industry, Minneftegazstroy, was allocated from the Ministry of Gas Industry.

USSR Secretary General Brezhnev and German Chancellor Brandt sign an agreement on gas exports to Western Europe

Main article: Gas exports from Russia

In 1972, Leonid Brezhnev and German Chancellor Willy Brandt entered into the Gas - Pipes agreement, which allows the export of Soviet gas to Western Europe.

1968: Contract with the Austrian OMV for export to Western Europe

Main article: Gas exports from Russia

In 1968, under a contract with the Austrian company OMV, exports to Western Europe began.

1965: Ministry of Gas Industry formed

In 1965, the Ministry of Gas Industry was formed, which was in charge of the search for gas fields, gas production, its delivery and sale.

1963: State Committee for Gas Industry established

In 1963, the State Production Committee for the Gas Industry of the USSR was created.

1956: Office transformed into Glavgaz under the Council of Ministers of the USSR

In 1956, the natural gas production department was transformed into the Main Directorate of the Gas Industry under the Council of Ministers of the USSR (Glavgaz).

1948: Gas Production Department established in Minnefteprom

In 1948, the Main Directorate for Natural Gas Production was created in the structure of the Ministry of Oil and Gas Industry, which became the first form of state production organization of gas industry workers.

1946: Under the supervision of Beria, the Moscow-Saratov gas pipeline was built

In 1946, the Moscow-Saratov gas pipeline was built, the construction was supervised by Lavrenty Beria.

Notes