Experts: Gazprom will have to choose between Europe and China

Russia can start gas supplies to China as early as in five years, Head of Gazprom Alexei Miller has said commenting on signing a memorandum on supplies of Russian natural gas to China. As Miller said, first supplies of the Russian gas to China will be carried out, most probably, from oil fields in West Siberia. Well, for this a gas pipeline should be constructed with a cost of not less than $10 billion. Vladimir Putin, who is currently on visit in Beijing, evaded from talking about the price of the supplies, but a source in the Kremlin speaking on condition of anonymity told the press that the supplies will be held at the international prices. Miller is sure that resources in West Siberia are enough for Gazprom to meet the demand of customer from Europe, as well as Russia and China.

Meanwhile, according to analysts of oil and gas markets, there is no so much gas left in West Siberia, in any case, the resources at hand can well be not enough for all, and therefore, Gazprom will have to choose either Europe and China or China and Russia or some other configuration, reports RSN.

It should be also noted, during the Russian-Chinese talks, a number of contracts were signed in various fields. In particular, RAO UES CeO Anatoly Chubais and the State Grid Corp of China (SGCC) General Director Liu Zhenya signed an agreement in Beijing on comprehensive elaboration of technical and cost-effective substantiation of an energy supply project from Russia to China.

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