Russia: Gasprom to buy less gas from Turkmenistan and more from Uzbekistan
On November 24 Gasprom held another meeting of Board of Directors. According to Moscow-based Vedomosti newspaper, the company management presented the forecast on the purchase of Central Asian gas for 2010-2012.
Up until now Gas was buying approximately 60 billion cubic meters of Asian gas per year. The major supplier of the concern in Central Asia was Turkmenistan (to 80%). Vedomosti reports that this spring there was a conflict between partners: the sales of Gasprom went down dramatically and it refused to pay Turkmenistan earlier offered price at $375.5 per 1000 cubic meters.
The conflict was followed by the wreck at Turkmen gas pipeline; as the result, the supply of gas was stopped in April. The pipeline was repaired soon but Gasprom never resumed the purchase of gas. Since that time the partners have been discussing new contract and there is still no clarity on volumes and price.
In 2010-2012 Gasprom is going to buy more than 10.5 billion cubic meters of gas per year from Turkmenistan (this is 4 times as less than in 2007-2008), the interviewees of Vedomosti say. The forecasted price for 2010 is $222 per 1000 cubic meters.
By 2012 Gasprom is planning to buy 14.5 billion cubic meters (+2% comparing to 2008) from Uzbekistan. Next year the price for Uzbek gas will also reach about $220 per 1000 cubic meters.