MOSCOW, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- Moscow has thought better of its recent decision to exclude foreign companies from developing Russia's giant Shtokman natural gas field.
Although Moscow said its state-run OAO Gazprom would develop the Barents Sea field, the largest natural gas field in the world, alone, a top adviser to President Vladimir Putin said that foreign energy companies would be welcome as sub-contractors, MosNews said Friday. Gazprom will be the sole holder of the Shtokman production license, Igor Shuvalov said Thursday.
He did not indicate which companies might be candidates to work with Gazprom on Shtokman.
Earlier this fall, Gazprom said it would not take any non-Russian partners in the Shtokman venture.
It is expected to take as many as 70 years to fully exhaust all of Shtokman's vast reserves.
