OREANDA-NEWS. November 26, 2008. Arkhangelsk could be preferred to Murmansk regarding deliveries of materials, equipment and machineries for the development of the Shtokman field. - Compared to Murmansk Oblast, Arkhangelsk has a more developed transport system, especially regarding the railway system, regional manager in Russia for INTSOK Vladimir Ryashin said at a conference in Arkhangelsk yesterday.

Most of the materials for the development of the Shtokman field will be delivered through Arkhangelsk Oblast. This was said by Vladimir Ryashin, regional manager in Russia for INTSOK - Norwegian Oil and Gas Partners – at a conference in Arkhangelsk Tuesday on the subject “International partnership – the key to participation in joint oil and gas projects on the Arctic Shelf”.

 - Compared to Murmansk Oblast, Arkhangelsk has a more developed transport system, especially regarding the railway system. Arkhangelsk Oblast is considered both regarding deliveries of materials, equipment and machinery and qualified workers. The Shtokman project will need 15 000 new workers.

At the conference Ryashin also claimed that the oil industry prefers not to talk about the influence the world economic crisis could have on the development of the Arctic shelf. - So far the economic crisis has only had an indirect effect on the oil industry. Therefore many people prefer not to talk about it aloud, Ryashin claimed. - But I can see that the crisis can have very serious impacts on both the country’s economy and on a range of other fields. Ryashin remarked that all the development programmes for the Shtokman field and the Arctic shelf could be delayed because of the economic crisis.