Prime Minister Putin's introductory remarks:
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen,
Today we arrived at the Caspian Sea region and witnessed the beginning of the first Russian oil and gas operations in the Caspian Sea.
I'd like to thank everyone involved in this project once again. It is truly a high-tech project in every sense. Engineers have most likely designed every square centimetre of this platform for a specific purpose. The whole system is full of world-class and high-tech solutions, every square centimetre.
I recommend visiting the platform - it's amazing. I understand now how modern energy is becoming, or has already become, a high-tech sector of the economy.
I felt pride when speaking with the personnel and inspecting the equipment. The personnel are very well trained. They are good, modern managers and specialists.
The success of this project shows that there have been radical changes in the Russian oil and gas sector.
Companies are taking advantage of cutting-edge technologies and new management techniques.
Mr Sergei Bogdanchikov (President of Rosneft) and I recently visited the Vankor field to look at the operations there. Different technologies complement each other, for example energy and space technologies. New technology allows operations in many regions to be managed in real time from one integrated centre.
We need to implement a comprehensive programme for the development of the fields in the northern Caspian Sea, a programme that effectively harnesses the resources of private business and the government.
For example, to create a favourable investment climate for this project, we exempted the developers of the Caspian fields from the mineral extraction tax. Companies have also raised the issue of reducing import duties.
We'll think about it. I've already issued corresponding directives to government agencies, including the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Energy. We must calculate the costs and benefits of these projects. But I'm not ruling this out.
Either way, we'll support projects of this kind. As far as support instruments and mechanisms, we need to consult with you and decide together.
In addition to hydrocarbon production, it is also necessary to build up refining capacity here. Today I'd like to hear a detailed review of the plans to build a natural gas refinery in the Stavropol Territory. Such large-scale programmes would greatly enhance the energy potential of the Caspian Sea region, bringing extra revenues to regional budgets. And most importantly, it would also create new jobs in the oil and gas industry, as well as in other industries, notably shipbuilding.
For example, a new industry was built practically from scratch here in Astrakhan: the construction of offshore platforms. I'd like to thank LUKoil again for placing these orders here. You fulfilled the promise you gave during one of my visits to Astrakhan and placed several contracts with local companies. The quality of this work is very good, as far as I can see.
In addition to this, several companies in other regions, notably Kaliningrad and the Volgograd Region, supplied machinery and equipment for the oil and gas projects in the Caspian Sea.
The Caspian Sea is a testing ground for Russian oil and gas companies. Here, they can gain experience in the integrated development of offshore fields and test new technology for oil exploration and production.
I have confidence that they'll be able to capitalise on this unique experience when they embark on the full-scale development of the fields on the continental shelf. This is one of the challenges we'll need to meet to keep oil and gas production stable in the long run.
I'd like to emphasise that all operations in the Caspian fields comply with the Tehran Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea. All international environmental standards are observed.
This is the first time that the zero discharge technology has been used in Caspian fields. No industrial waste will be discharged into the marine environment. All waste is collected in closed containers and is taken onshore for further treatment.
I hope other international companies operating in the Caspian Sea will follow this initiative.
Naturally, environmental issues, specifically the protection of the unique ecosystem of the Caspian Sea, must be the focus of the Caspian Economic Cooperation Organisation, a new international organisation we're setting up with our partners in the region: Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.
Let's move on to the regular discussion.