Rosneft signs deal with Kyrgyz airport
MOSCOW. April 22 (Interfax) - Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin and President of Manas Airport in Kyrgyzstan Albek Ibraimov have signed an agreement on petroleum product supplies, an Interfax correspondent reported from the ceremony.
The draft protocol of the 15th session of the Russian and Kyrgyz intergovernmental commission on trade-economic, scientific-technical and humanitarian cooperation states that Manas and Rosneft plan to start working on construction of new fuel filling complexes at Manas and Osh airports.
The draft protocol shows that the commission has approved Rosneft plans to open fuel bases - one in the south and a second in the north of Kyrgyzstan to offer all types of petroleum products and develop a retail chain of gas filling stations. Rosneft also plans to open a representative office in Kyrgyzstan by May 15 to develop petroleum product supplies and infrastructure construction.
Rosneft said on its website that Sechin and Ibraimov had agreed to set up a joint task force to work on two independent investment projects at Manas and Osh airports.
The Manas development project envisages an upgrade of the existing fuel filling complex or construction of a new fuel filling complex at the airport as well as a cargo terminal and an on-board catering division. The Osh development project envisages an upgrade of the airport (on the basis of existing infrastructure) or construction of a new airport as well as an upgrade or construction of a new fuel filling station.
The agreement also says that on Rosneft's recommendation other companies that specialize in organizing passenger and cargo flights and airport management will be attracted to these projects.
Sechin also met with Kyrgyz Prime Minister Zhantoro Satybaldiyev. They discussed a wide range of bilateral cooperation issues.
Gazprom's oil subsidiary Gazprpm Neft carries out a significant share of the filling at Manas Airport through Russian-Kyrgyz subsidiary Gazpromneft-Aero-Kyrgyzstan (Gazprom Neft and TEK Manas).
Gazpromneft-Aero-Kyrgyzstan opened in September 2011. An intergovernmental agreement between Kyrgyzstan and the United States says that the joint venture should in its first year provide at least 50% of overall aviation fuel supplies to the U.S. Transit Center (former air base), at Manas Airport in Bishkek.
Gazpromneft-Aero-Kyrgyzstan provided Manas International Airport with over 217,000 tonnes of fuel Gazpromneft-Aero-Kyrgyzstan fills Aeroflot , Kyrgyzstan, Fly Dubai, Air Bishkek, Volga Dnepr, Yakutia, and Avia Traffic Company planes in Manas.
Gazprom Neft in Kyrgyzstan is also a leader on the retail and small wholesale segments of the Kyrgyz fuel market.