12 November 2003 08:07
Russia: Environment prosecutors begin probe at several Yukos-owned companies
Salekhard, 12 November: An inspection began today at several Yukos-owned oil producing companies to check the way
they are fulfilling their license agreements.
The Yamal [Nenets Autonomous Area] environment prosecutor's office has sent its representatives to the
Arktikgaz, Urengoil Inc. and Rospan International companies. The head of the Yamal Nenets Autonomous Area natural
resources directorate, Igor Zolotov, told journalists that the inspectors would focus on checking how the companies
observed environment protection laws and regulations. He said that " recently the companies in question had not
committed any significant violations" and that the inspection was being conducted on instructions from the
[presumably, federal] Natural Resources Ministry.
Simultaneously, an inspection was launched at Yukos's largest oil producing company, Yuganskneftegaz, located in
the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area. The director of the oil and gas department of the region's government, Veniamin
Panov, said that "the inspection will check into the way the company observes its licence agreements and the
relevant laws - on land, water, environmental protection, archaeological heritage and radiation safety". The
comprehensive check will also cover issues related to the company's technological documents and timely
accounting.
Yuganskneftegaz's annual oil production is about 220m barrels, which makes up 61 per cent of Yukos's total
oil production. The company operates 29 oil fields.
[In its 0700 gmt news bulletin on 12 November, Russian Ekho Moskvy radio, Moscow, in Russian, said that the Russian
Natural Resources Ministry intended to conduct inspections at Yukos-owned oil production companies in eight
regions.]
[ITAR-TASS news agency] |
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