Access of private companies to the offshore oil fields in the Arctic region was not discussed by the government commission on fuel and energy sector, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Sergey Donskoy told reporters on Wednesday.
“The commission held a meeting but this issue was not discussed,” – Donskoy said when asked about liberalization of the law on granting access to private companies to the Arctic fields.
The minister added that this issue is likely to be on the agenda of the presidential commission on fuel and energy in October, but so far he has no information about the agenda.
“We plan a presidential commission / on Energy / in autumn, probably in October,” – the minister said, adding that the current state of the whole industry will be discussed.
In June, Donskoy said that the commission on energy may consider the access of private companies to the Arctic oil fields in early August.
The ministries and agencies are now preparing amendments to the legal base granting the access to oil companies to the Arctic fields. Currently, only state-owned companies – Rosneft and Gazprom have the access to those fields. Meanwhile Lukoil oil major has been showing interest in developing the Arctic fields.