Miller and Abramovich: Will the Arctic be divided into two?
Roman Abramovich's entities, in collaboration with Gazprom, may start exploring the Arctic.
A new contender has emerged to claim areas in the inland waters of the Arctic – Tsentrgreko company, owned by Tatiana Morozova and Dmitry Kamyshev.
Rosnedra has received an application from Promgazresurs LLC to obtain a license for developing the Yenisei-Karsky-1 and 2 blocks. This office is owned by TsGK Gazresurs and Bonanza. TsGK Gazresurs is possessed by Morozova and Kamyshev. Morozova, who hails from Gazprom, has been the head of Gazprom Neft’s Mergers and Acquisitions department for over a decade. She still collaborates with the corporation through the New Industry investment fund.
“CGK Gazresurs” is led by a person with connections to the entities of Arkady Abramovich – Sergey Eliseev. It's possible that the project also involves the interests of billionaire Roman Abramovich, whose son is Arkady.
The entity aims to acquire a license for two sites in the Yenisei Gulf of the Kara Sea. Earlier, Gazprom Neft had shown interest in them. Last year, the gas giant obtained a license for the Ust-Yeniseisky area, which is adjacent to the Yenisei project, from which British Shell withdrew last year due to sanctions.
On the other hand, there is a border with Gazprom’s West Taimyr blocks.
Previously, Gazprom had plans to collaborate on the project with her. It had attracted numerous partners, but now the industry has been affected by sanctions.
Companies have been able to acquire licenses for areas in the territorial sea and inland waters since the end of 2020. This entails coordination with the Ministry of Natural Resources and approval from the government. Companies that have discovered a field can also obtain a development license if they wish.
The CGC does not provide comments on the plans for the Yenisei-Kara sections. Market experts suggest that the company may act in the interests of Gazprom and potentially sell the territories to the gas giant in the future.
It's worth remembering that the head of Gazprom Neft, Alexander Dyukov, stated last year that the company was finalizing the establishment of a significant exploration cluster in the Arctic, and that such a project could become a key one for the company.
“CGC, through its subsidiaries and companies, continually monitors licensed areas in the regions where it operates and in other parts of Russia with attractive assets. The aim is to replenish and expand the resource base of the CGC,” as quoted in the company’s response to Kommersant's inquiry.
The Caspian gas company from the CGC and Bonaz circuit also seeks to obtain exploration licenses for the coastal areas of Makhachkala-Sea and Dagestan Ogni-Sea in the Caspian.
Morozova’s TsGK Holding already holds similar assets in Dagestan.
In total, during the winter window, oil companies expressed interest in a total of seven fields in inland waters and the territorial sea. Lukoil once again attempted to acquire Nadezhda, but the application was once again rejected.
The Yamal Shelf Company lays claim to the Vostochno-Tasiysky and Karsky blocks.
Market experts say that companies other than Gazprom and Shell have begun to show interest in the territories of the Yenisei Bay, as these giants consider them profitable for their investments. That is what the calculation of the same TsGK is done.
