OREANDA-NEWS. At this year's St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Gazprom Neft and the Government of Orenburg Region concluded a joint partnership agreement on social investment covering the period 2014-2016. Under the agreement, which was signed by Alexander Dyukov, Chairman of the Management Board of Gazprom Neft, and Yury Berg, Governor of Orenburg Region, the company and the regional government will continue to work together on programmes aimed at improving the region's social infrastructure.

As part of the Home Towns corporate social responsibility programme, which Gazprom Neft is implementing in the areas where it operates, Orenburg Region will see the construction of multipurpose recreation grounds and children's play areas, as well as repairs and improvements to local schools. Gazprom Neft will also sponsor sports tournaments around the region.

In addition, the company will continue to collaborate with the local government in the area of environmental protection. To this end, Gazprom Neft will provide Orenburg Region's environmental department with an automated air-quality monitoring station.

The parties signed an additional agreement at the St. Petersburg forum, committing to a project to invest in the eastern block of the Orenburg oil and gas condensate field, operated by Gazpromneft Orenburg, over the 2013-2022 period. Total investment in the project will exceed RUB 50 billion.

The Orenburg field

“Orenburg Region is a key growth area for Gazprom Neft. In recent years, the company has actively nurtured a new extraction cluster in this area. In just three years, local output has increased more than 2.6-fold. By 2020, we are planning to extract up to 8.5 million tonnes of hydrocarbons per year in Orenburg Region. The company has a stake in ensuring the comprehensive and balanced development of the regions in which it operates. As a result, the Home Towns corporate social responsibility programme has become an essential part of our business”, remarked Alexander Dyukov, Chairman of the Management Board of Gazprom Neft.