Rosneft Could Export Gas via Gazprom's Nord Stream 2 Pipeline
Russia's Energy Ministry is due to prepare a report in the coming days about the possibility of Rosneft exporting natural gas to Europe via the new Nord Stream 2 pipeline, Interfax cited Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak as saying on Wednesday.
Currently, Kremlin-controlled Gazprom has exclusive rights for Russian pipeline gas exports.
Novak said this month that Rosneft had asked the government for permission to export natural gas and the government was reviewing the request.
The Energy Ministry and Rosneft did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Oil-focused Rosneft and its shareholder, BP, have long sought to export natural gas to Europe as exports are more lucrative than domestic sales.
Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin is a powerful ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russia announced last week that it had completed construction of the $11 billion Nord Stream 2 to Germany, doubling its gas exporting capacity via the Baltic Sea.
Germany's energy regulator said on Monday it had four months to complete operating certification for the new pipeline.
(Reporting by Maria Kiselyova, Vladimir Soldatkin and Olesya Astakhova; editing by Louise Heavens and Jason Neely)
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