The press release noted that the company's management considered the implementation of its export strategy on the European gas market.
Gazprom's operating units will develop a program to synchronize bring shipment capacities online in 2006-2010 based on forecasts for 2015.
"By 2010, the annual pipeline exports of gas to the European market will increase to at least 180 billion cubic meters," the press release said.
Gazprom plans to increase its annual gas exports to Europe to 180 billion cubic meters by bringing the Yamal (western Siberia) - Europe and the Blue Stream (through Black Sea to Turkey) pipelines up to design capacity and by constructing the Bogorodchany-Uzhgorod (western Ukraine) pipeline stage by stage. According to the press release, in the future the northern European pipeline will play a special role in increasing gas exports.
Gazprom is the world's largest natural gas exporter. It supplies gas to 20 countries in central and Western Europe. Europe consumes 26% of Gazprom's gas and accounts for 40% of Gazprom's exports.
Gazprom exports about 2 trillion cubic meters of gas, worth nearly $270 billion, to the European gas market under the long-term contracts.
