Sunday, 2 September 2012

Gazprom latest to Axe Large Capital-Intensive Projects

First it was BHP Billiton's announcement that they were downsizing the Olympic Dam project. Now Gazprom is the latest firm to cut capital spending as it dumps it Shtokman gas field project in the Arctic due to excessive costs. Shtokman contains nearly four trillion cubic metres of gas making it one of the world's largest natural gas fields. The head of Gazprom's production, Mr Cherepanov, said the project was too expensive "for the time being". Total and Statoil were partners in the project (Gazprom had selected them as partners), with 25% and 24% stakes respectively. The oversupply from the US shale gas boom has changed the dynamics of gas exploration across the industry. Gazprom trades on a number of exchanges including the Moscow Exchange, LSE and Berlin and Frankfurt Stock Exchanges and is Russia's largest listed company. The news comes just as Shell has gained permission to drill for oil in the Arctic off the cost of Alaska.

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