OREANDA-NEWS. May 20, 2011. 12 students and 5 professors of the Russian State University named after I.M. Gubkin (the RSU) were awarded with educational scholarships and grants by ITERA Oil and Gas Company for outstanding results in studies, science, educational services and active social work. The ceremony was held within the framework of traditional ITERA Day in the Gubkin University, reported the press-centre of ITERA.

ITERA Oil and Gas Company press-service said to REGIONS.RU correspondent that the certificates were presented to nominees by Tamara Salmanova, widow of Farman Salmanov, a discoverer of the largest hydrocarbon deposits in West Siberia. Farman Salmanov, Hero of Socialist Labor, prizewinner of Lenin and Gubkin prizes, member-correspondent of the Russian Academy of Science had served as adviser of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of ITERA Oil and Gas Company during his last years. As in the previous two years, the prestigious scholarship named after the legendary geologist and established by ITERA Oil and Gas Company was awarded to Kirill Yezhov, a student of the Faculty of Geology and Geophysics.

The close cooperation between the RSU named after Gubkin and ITERA Oil and Gas Company, and in particular, the arrangement of ITERA Day for the University students on regular basis, started in 2002. Viktor Martynov, Rector of the University, as well as its professors and students welcome the oil and gas company delegation and spoke about "the extremely useful cooperation of the University with one of the major private companies in the Russian gas market”, which "is building up its work based on the latest achievements of the world science and practice". Andrey Yukhananov, the RSU graduate and currently the head of unit in the Company’s Gas Department, shared his impressions of working in ITERA.

Gennady Skidanov, First Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of ITERA Oil and Gas Company, named "the famous University a foundry of talents who demonstrate outstanding performance in this country and abroad." He said that "professionals with the RSU diploma have been bringing fresh ideas into the industry modernization on the basis of the latest domestic and international scientific research". The Company’s top manager confirmed that ITERA would continue making its contribution in the establishing of decent conditions for scientific research and the technical equipment of the University. Responding to students and professors’ questions, he spoke about implementation of ITERA major projects in this country and abroad.

ITERA Oil and Gas Company is one among the largest independent producers and sellers of natural gas in the Russian Federation. The Company has been developing its natural gas production in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District since 1998. The Company has invested over US\\$ 2 billion in development of the gas production industry. ITERA was the first private company to commission gas fields in the North of Russia. The total of over 235 billion cu m of natural gas had been produced in the fields developed by ITERA.