Rosneft trying stiffle Novatek – amendments to LNG draft law threatens projects of the competitor

The draft law on liquefied natural gas export liberalization may be significantly adjusted by the second reading. One of Sate deputies has put up amendments that can limit Novatek in its extension of the Yamal LNG project. Sources of the Kommersant think that Rosneft, which will implement expensive offshore projects is behind the amendments.

Three amendments have been proposed to the draft law on LNG export liberalization, which was approved by the State Duma in the first reading on November 15th, the Deputy Head of the Lower House’s Energy Committee Pavel Zavalny reported at the forum “Gas of Russia” yesterday. One of the amendments specifies that the right to export LNG will be granted only to companies that constructs liquefied gas facilities or transport gas for liquefaction. “To avoid the situation, when somebody can be engaged in gas export, although he didn’t extract it,” – Zavalny explained. The second amendment concerns volumes and procedure of supplying export information to the Ministry of Energy. The deputy say about the third amendment.