DUSHANBE, August 9, Asia-Plus — Representative office of joint-stock company “Zarubezhneftgaz” (Russian overseas oil-and-gas company) – affiliate of Russian energy giant “Gazprom” – has set to work in Tajikistan. The “Zarubezhneftgaz” representative office was opened in Dushanbe in mid-June
As it had been reported earlier, Tajikistan set up a working commission in early June for launching a Tajik-Russian joint venture in the oil and gas sphere. At present the commission comprising representatives of the ministries of energy, economy and trade, as well as other government agencies and departments overseeing the sector jointly with the “Zarubezhneftgaz” representation is dealing with the legal and technical aspects of creating this enterprise.
As it had been reported earlier, during his visit to Tajikistan in March this year, Gazprom chief executive Alexei Miller and Tajik energy minister signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the lunch of an oil and gas joint venture. Miller said that initially Gazprom allocated $6 million from its budget to the joint venture.
Regarding the parties” shares in the venture”s authorized capital, Miller said there was an agreement that Gazprom would hold the JV”s controlling stake. Under the deal, Gazprom will develop four gas fields – Sariqamysh and Rengan in the west, and Sargazon and Olimtoi in the south. Proven gas resources in Sarikamysh and Rengan total 40 billion cubic meters and Sargazon 30 billion, while the Olimtoi deposit has yet to be prospected.
Tajikistan will probably own 25 percent of the shares and the Russian behemoth “Gazprom” will assume the 75% ownership interest in the joint venture.
The aggregate raw-materials resources of the oil and gas bearing areas in Tajikistan amount to about 1,000 billion tons of reference fuel, according to expert estimates. At the same time, production work at oil and gas fields require considerable expenditure, since hydrocarbon deposits occur at depths ranging from 6.5 to 8 km.
