OREANDA-NEWS. April 28, 2008. Headed by Alexander Ananenkov, Deputy Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, a Gazprom delegation today went on a business trip to ship and machine building plants in Russia’s Northwest region.

In Severodvinsk, Arkhangelsk Oblast, the delegation today visited ship building companies with Gazprom’s orders in-place.

The delegation got acquainted with the progress in the construction of the Prirazlomnaya offshore ice-resistant stationary platform (Sevmash Production Association) and the Arkticheskaya jack-up floating drilling rig (Zvyozdochka Ship Repair Centre) to be applied for the Arctic shelf development.

Alexander Ananenkov convened meetings on issues related to wider involvement of Russia’s ship builders in implementing the Gazprom-developed Program for the Russian Federation offshore hydrocarbon resources exploitation up to 2030.

“It is critically important today to concentrate resources on the Company’s high-priority projects. By establishing a new gas production region in the Arctic shelf, we lay a strong foundation for Gazprom to boost its hydrocarbon production after 2010. Execution of the Shtokman, Prirazlomnoye, Dolginskoye and Kamennomysskoye-Sea field projects will be a launching pad for the large-scale comprehensive development of the Arctic reserves.

Developing the potential of domestic ship builders plays a special role in this process. The Company is determined to continue interacting with national manufacturers when executing innovative projects and turning out advanced high-tech equipment, which may be in demand for Gazprom’s offshore projects,” noted Alexander Ananenkov.