"We do not expect export restrictions to be totally lifted, which would hurt Gazprom's shareholders, especially considering company's complex financial and economic situation. Firstly, Gazprom has used its whole quota, by which it was limited on the European market. Secondly, we are talking about those markets where Gazprom is not present," Rusakova, who is responsible for company's gas business, said.
According to her, it is possible to speak not about the cancellation of Gazprom's export monopoly, but about the experiment in which Rosneft would be able to supply gas to the new markets in close coordination with Gazprom in order to exclude the competition between Russian gas suppliers.
"Currently, a deficit is emerging in the European market due to the decline in domestic production, in the absence of adequate measures from Russia, it will be met through the supply of liquefied gas, primarily from the US," the company's vice president believes.
In her remarks, Rusakova recalled that the company had signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the purchase and sale of natural gas during this year's St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).
"As part of the signed memorandum, Rosneft and BP's subsidiary BP Gas Marketing Limited are planning to conclude a contract for the sale of gas produced by Rosneft to ensure additional supplies of Russian raw materials to the European markets starting in 2019," she said.
Agreements reached with BP will make it possible to provide additional supplies of Russian gas to Europe to Russia's new consumer of gas, which is not Gazprom's customer and has no plans to work with this company, Rusakova concluded.
