Moscow/Ankara - Turkey's gas market is of interest to Russian oil major Lukoil, the company's Vice President Leonid Fedun said at the VTB Capital forum on Thursday.
"We are a licensed company with the right to sell gas on that market, and we would be interested in working in that direction," Fedun said.
In negotiations over extending a contract for the delivery of 6 billion cubic meters (bcm) of Russian gas via the ‘western route’ through Ukraine and Romania, Turkish pipeline monopoly Botas said Gazprom had to lower its price. Not getting a price-cut, Botas announced that the contract would not be extended. Gazprom said it could supply gas to private distributors.
Even if delivery from Russia via this route ends, Istanbul and Frakia, a northern Bosporus region, will not be left without gas – it will be supplied from storage facilities.
Asked if he thought Lukoil would sell its stake in the Azerbaijani Shah Deniz project, Fedun said there would be no sense in it. "That project is now expanding, it is very promising," he said. Gas prices will only go up, he said, and Lukoil is interested in any expansion of this part of its business.
