MOSCOW, October 6 (RIA Novosti) - Russian energy giant Gazprom is expected to resume by November 1 gas imports from Turkmenistan, interrupted earlier this year, Kommersant business daily reported on Tuesday.
The problem with Turkmen gas deliveries began in early April, when an explosion and ensuing fire forced Turkmengaz, the country's state-run gas company, to suspend supplies to Russia.
According to Kommersant, the volume of gas supplies from Turkmenistan up to the end of this year will directly depend on the price. Analysts say Gazprom could purchase more than 10 billion cubic meters of Turkmen gas if the price does not exceed $200 per 1,000 cubic meters.
Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov said after the talks with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev in September in the Caspian port city of Turkmenbashi that all issues relating to the resumption of Turkmen gas supplies to Russia had been resolved, and that Gazprom would buy natural gas from Turkmenistan according to a specific formula, as the Russian company considers the current price too high given the economic environment.
Turkmenistan earlier accused Russia of failing to warn Ashgabat that it was reducing gas imports, resulting in a buildup of pipeline pressure that caused the blast. Gazprom reduced gas imports after a drop in demand from European consumers amid the global economic crisis.
Gazprom has declined to comment on the issue of resuming imports. However, a Gazprom manager told the paper that Alexander Medvedev, the CEO of Gazprom's export arm, Gazprom Export, had held negotiations with Turkmengaz.
