Gazprom and NV Nederlandse Gasunie signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Cooperation. The Document prescribes joint activities targeted at enhancing the flexibility of natural gas deliveries to Europe, which will allow to promptly react to seasonal and daily volatility of end consumers’ gas demand. In addition, the parties agreed to interact on the following matters: European gas market globalization, European energy policy, gas supply security and impact made by the liberalization on the energy market, in terms of gas suppliers.

Gazprom and Gasunie will be sharing experience in the gas transmission network operation and maintenanace, dispatching control and European gas transmission network simulation.

Research centers of Gasunie, VNIIgaz and Promgaz will interact in working on technological solutions of environment-friendly gas transmission.

Under the Memorandum signed, Gazprom and Gasunie will go on implementing joint programs on personnel qualification enhancement as well as sharing information and maintaining cultural programs.

Reference:

NV Nederlandse Gasunie was formed back in 1963 as a natural gas supply and transmission company. In 1999, Gazprom and Gasunie signed a Contract on gas supplies to the Netherlands, envisaging a total of 80 bcm of gas to be piped within 20 years.

The aforementioned Contract laid foundations for cooperation between the companies in different sectors, from fulfilling contractual commitments and searching for ways of joint operations on the European gas market up to experience sharing in information technology applications, devising planning and simulation methods and personnel management. Moreover, in 1999, Gazprom and Gasunie signed a Protocol on strategic cooperation and still keep on intensively interacting, meeting new challenges and exchanging experience.

In 2001, Gazprom and Gasunie took the initiative to implement a joint project on knowledge and business experience sharing in the energy sector. The initiative was backed by the Russian and Dutch Governments. The Project was called “Gas Universirty”. Later on, the Groningen University joined the Project and together with Gasunie set up the Energy Delta Institute.

In 2003, the Netherlands received 2.3 bcm of Russian gas and some 4 bcm are targeted for 2004.

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