Royal Dutch Shell CEO: Russia is ready to supply gas through Ukraine

Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller held a working meeting today in company's headquarters with Royal Dutch Shell CEO Jeroen van der Veer. 

They discussed bilateral cooperation issues in the framework of existing agreements and prospects of expanded cooperation in gas production and liquefaction, including the possibility of joint field development in third countries. 

Specific attention was paid to the critical situation that emerged on the European energy market because of the Ukrainian refusal to transit Russian gas to Europe. 

Alexei Miller informed Van der Veer on measures taken by Gazprom to resume the transit via Ukraine as soon as possible. It was stressed that an unprecedented situation has developed that demands design mechanisms that would prevent a blockade by transit states in future.

After the meeting Jeroen van der Veer visited the Central Dispatcher Department where he could see for himself on the electronic gas transportation map that Ukraine had blocked the transit of Russian gas to Europe.  

"It was very interesting to see the center that controls Gazprom's gas flows. It is clear that the Russian side is ready to supply gas. We all have seen it and I've seen it myself," he said.

Background:

Royal Dutch Shell is the British-Dutch Oil and Gas Company and is engaged in over 110 countries (39 for exploration and production) including the USA, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Brazil, Malaysia, Ireland, Russia, and Canada.  

Shell holds 27.5% in Sakhalin Energy Company, the operator of the world’s largest complex oil and gas project Sakhalin-2. Participating in the project are also Gazprom (50% of stock plus one share) and Japanese Mitsui (12.5%) and Mitsubishi (10%).  Licenses reserved of Sakhalin-2 comprise close to 4 billion barrels of oil equivalent.