OREANDA-NEWS. On October 07, 2008, the Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (OFAS Russia) in the Komi Republic imposed 300 000 Rubles administrative fine upon "LUKOIL-Komi" Ltd. for failure to present information upon a request of the antimonopoly body, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

The Komi OFAS Russia concluded to impose administrative charges upon the oil companies after investigating the antimonopoly case, initiated on 14th August 2008 against "LUKOIL-Komi" Ltd. upon a petition of "Nobel Oil" CJSC. "LUKOIL-Komi" Ltd. was preventing pumping-over oil (associated) gas, produced by "Nobel Oil" CJSC at the Yuzno-Oshsky field, to the consumers. Such transportation is only possible via the "Kharyaga-Golovnye gas processing plant" gathering pipeline owned by "LUKOIL-Komi" Ltd.

Pipeline gas transportation is exercised by natural monopolies. The antimonopoly case against "LUKOIL-Komi" Ltd. was initiated under Article 10 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition" that prohibits abusing dominant position by economic entities.

The Komi OFAS Russia requested "LUKOIL-Komi" Ltd. to provide information on connecting other companies to the pipeline, technical conditions of the connections and the contracts. Such information was required to process the case. However, the company, failed to present the documents to the deadline.

Under Part 5 Article 19.8 of the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Violations, the company is administratively liable for failure to present documentation upon a request of the antimonopoly body.