Support The Moscow Times!

Companies Vie for Kovykta

Gazprom and Rosneftegaz have bid for the huge Kovykta gas field, majority-owned by TNK-BP, a source close to the bidding said Thursday.

Rusia Petroleum, the Kovykta license holder, was declared insolvent by a regional court in October after TNK-BP filed a petition to initiate bankruptcy proceedings. "It is Gazprom and Rosneftegaz," the source said about the auction mooted for March 1. Thursday was the deadline to submit bids.

Media have speculated that the country's second-largest gas producer, Novatek, in which trader Gennady Timchenko holds a stake of more than 20 percent, might emerge as the eventual owner of the field. The starting price for Rusia Petroleum was set at 15.08 billion rubles ($517 million).


… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more