DUSHANBE, May 27, Asia-Plus - Tajikistan has launched preparations for setting up a working commission for opening representative office of joint-stock company “Zarubezhneftgaz” (Russian overseas oil-and-gas company) – affiliate of Russian energy giant “Gazprom” – in the republic, according to information from Tajikistan’s Ministry of Energy.  

The commission comprising representatives of the ministries of energy, economy and trade, as well as other government agencies and departments overseeing the sector will deal with the legal and technical aspects of creating a Tajik-Russian joint venture in the oil and gas sphere.

As it had been reported earlier, during his visit to Tajikistan in March, Gazprom chief executive Alexei Miller and Tajik energy minister signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the creation of an oil and gas joint venture.  Miller said that initially Gazprom was allocating $6 million from its budget to the joint venture.  Regarding the parties'' shares in the venture''s authorized capital, Miller said there was an agreement that Gazprom would hold the JV''s controlling stake.  Under the deal, Gazprom will develop four gas fields - Sariqamysh and Rengan in the west, and Sargazon and Olimtoi in the south. Proven gas resources in Sarikamysh and Rengan total 40 billion cubic meters and Sargazon 30 billion, while the Olimtoi deposit has yet to be prospected.