Russian businessmen invade Alaska

Russian Gazprom's top managers have visited Alaska to look into projects in the US state, Gazprom said Tuesday.
The Russian gas giant could share its expertise in Alaska as climatic conditions at its traditional gas production regions in northern Russia are similar to those in Alaska, it said in a statement.A Gazprom delegation consisting of CEO Alexei Miller, his deputies Valery Golubev and Alexander Medvedev and others, met with representatives of Alaska's natural resources department, management of Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, which represents local business interests, and ConocoPhillips CEO Jim Mulva.

"Gazprom is ready to provide its abilities and experience. I think in the future we could conduct joint scientific research," Miller said in televised comments broadcast by Russian Vesti news channel from Anchorage, Alaska.Miller in June 2008 disclosed his company's interest in joining a planned project to build a gas pipeline from Alaska to the Lower 48 US states."Our interests are not limited to the European continent only...Gazprom has unique experience, knowledge and modern technology and is the leading company in transporting gas by pipeline.

That is why we are interested in such a large-scale project as construction of the gas pipeline from Alaska," he said in a speech at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Mulva said at the time that ConocoPhillips would study Gazprom's proposal.

There are two rival planned pipeline projects in Alaska, one led by TransCanada and the other by two North Slope producers, BP and ConocoPhillips.

Miller said Tuesday timeframes for both projects envisage implementation by around 2018. Gazprom said in a statement that besides the two planned pipeline projects in Alaska there should be opportunities considered for the construction of an LNG plant in Alaska.

Gazprom also suggested that a complex plan for gas production, transportation and supply system in Alaska would be "rational" for the development of the state's hydrocarbons. Gazprom is leading a similar unified plan in Russia, for the development of East Siberian and Far Eastern gas fields.