Gazprom ready to deliver gas to independent Turkish distributors instead of Botas
MOSCOW. Oct 3 (Interfax) - Gazprom is prepared to supply gas to independent distributors in Turkey, if national gas company Botas does not renew one of its contracts for Russian gas.
"We see that gas by the western corridor is needed by Turkish commercial and industrial customers. If the contract with the state company Botas is not extended, we are prepared to deliver those volumes to our existing and new partners - private companies, for further shipment to end consumers on the Turkish market," deputy Gazprom chief Alexander Medvedev told reporters.
Gazprom Export received last Friday notification from Botas that it would not be extending the contract for 6 billion cubic meters (bcm) of Russian gas past 2011.
This contract was secured in 1986 and expires December 31. It involves the annual 'western-route' deliver of up to 6 bcm from Russia. That gas is intended for use in the economically more-developed western part of Turkey. Under the contract, either partner is to warn the other half a year prior to its expiration of that partner's desire for it to end, otherwise, the contract renews automatically. Gazprom has accommodated Botas in its several requests for that timeframe to be moved back. The last such change ran out on September 30.
Deliveries under the contract in any event are to be made until they are completed - to December 31, 2011.