PRESS RELEASE 18.06.2015

Gazprom, E.ON, Shell and OMV agreed to develop gas transportation capacities for the deliveries of the Russian to Europe

Today during the XIX St. Petersburg International Economic Forum Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Management Committee of JSC , Klaus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of E.ON SE, Ben van Beurden, CEO of plc, and Manfred Leitner, Member of the Executive Board of OMV AG, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation among all the above parties in the project of construction of the gas transportation infrastructure for direct deliveries of Russian natural gas to European customers. The Memorandum reflects the parties' intentions to implement the project of construction of two gas pipelines through the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany. The throughput capacity of the new gas pipeline will be 55 billion cubic meters per year. Given the decrease in domestic production in the European countries and increase in global gas demand, the parties point out the necessity for the development of new infrastructure for secure supplies to European customers with this ecological clean fuel. The parties will proceed with incorporation of the joint company for the project implementation in the near future. The parties plan to apply expertise gained and works performed by AG since 2012, including results of the conducted feasibility study.

‘Since the Nord Stream pipeline was comissioned, Gazprom has been investigating potential extension of this export route. Now we are going to proceed with the implementation of this project together with our partners. Development of the additional gas transportation infrastructure via the shortest route linking the gas fields in the north of Russia with the European markets will contribute to enhancement of safety and reliability of gas supplies under new gas supply contracts’, Alexey Miller stated.

‘With this project we plan to continue and expand our successful partnership with Gazprom. The experience gained in Nord Stream has demonstrated that transportation of gas through the Baltic Sea is a reliable solution for the EU energy needs from the economic, technical and environmental points of view’, Klaus Schäfer pointed out.

‘With natural gas set to continue its important role in Europe’s energy mix, new projects are important for satisfying energy demand, particularly as Europe’s domestic production of natural gas declines’, Ben van Beurden said.

‘It is a crucial step towards substantial enhancement of security of natural gas supplies to and it will reinforce the role of Baumgarten as a gas hub. Our nearly 50-year- long cooperation with Gazprom shall contribute to success of this undertaking and facilitate further diversification of routes to Europe’, Manfred Leitner said.