DUSHANBE, September 12, Asia-Plus — Tajik companies could meet the country’s requirements in oil products by themselves, Yorahmad Begahmadov, the head of the oil-and-gas supply debarment of the Ministry of Energy and Industries (MoEI), said in an interview with Asia-plus, commenting on intention of Russia’s open joint-stock company (OJSC) Gazprom Neft intends to create a chain of refuel stations in Tajikistan.
According to him, there is no necessity in enlisting the services of foreign companies to supply oil products to the country. “Local suppliers are able to meet the country’s requirements in oil products by themselves,” the MoEI official said, adding that the ministry has not received any proposal from foreign companies on creating the chain of refuel stations in Tajikistan.
According to the MoEI, the state-controlled open joint-stock company (OJSC) Naftrason (oil product supplies) accounting for u to 15 percent of the total volume of oil products delivered to the country, as well as private companies Zuhro (45 percent) and Akramzod (more than 15 percent) are the main suppliers of the oil products to Tajikistan.
In the meantime, Abdusalom Rahimov, representative of Gazprom Neft to Tajikistan, noted that if Tajikistan had not had needs in foreign suppliers of oil products, the gasoline prices in Tajikistan would have not risen to 3.00 somonis per liter. “We intend to open the chain of refuels stations in Tajikistan, and our first refuel stations will be opened in the country already next year.”
As it had been reported earlier, in June 2007, OJSC Gazprom Neft founded a selling enterprise in Tajikistan – limited liability company Gazprom Neft-Tajikistan. This company deals with selling oil products in Tajikistan and in the future, it will be engaged in constructing a chain of refuel station across the country. Gazprom Neft-Tajikistan now rents four oil reservoirs for realizing products of the Omsk oil refinery – gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel, and fuel oil.
Gazprom Neft has registered a similar enterprise in Kazakhstan as well. According to the source, selection of region for launching enterprises is conditioned by proximity of Kazakhstan and Tajikistan to the Omsk oil refinery as well as rapid development of oil-product markets in these territories.
The source noted that 100 percent of authorized capital stocks of these enterprises belong to Gazprom Neft’s subsidiary – limited liability company Gazprom Neft-Asia, registered in Kyrgyzstan.
