OREANDA-NEWS. October 30, 2009. The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) initiated proceedings against "Gazprom" OJSC for violating the antimonopoly legislation by creating unlawful obstacles for entry to the gas market to "Rosneft" Oil Company" OJSC (Clause 9 Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition"), reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

FAS Russia initiated the case upon a petition of "Rosneft" Oil Company" OJSC that "Gazprom" OJSC violated the antimonopoly legislation by restricting acceptance of gas, produced by "Rosneft" Oil Company" OJSC, to the gas-transportation system of "Gazprom" OJSC.

In particular, "Rosneft" Oil Company" OJSC stated that in April-August 2009 "Gazprom" OJSC unlawfully restricted acceptance of gas from the gas fields of "Rosneft" Oil Company" OJSC to the gas-transportation system of "Gazprom" OJSC, explaining it by actual reduction of gas consumption in the Russian Federation. At the same time all gas produced by "Rosneft" Oil Company" OJSC is contracted and allocated between consumers.

"Rosneft" Oil Company" OJSC also stated that as a result of those restrictions it was deprived of a possibility to sell gas to consumers and was forced to burn the oil (associated) gas, not accepted to the gas-transportation system of "Gazprom" "Gazprom" OJSC by flaring in the amount exceeding the statutory norm, and had to pay a fine for violating the environmental regulations.

"Rosneft" Oil Company" OJSC produces natural gas and oil (associated) gas on its gas fields in Eastern Siberia: Tarasovaksoe, Severo-Komsomolskoye, Gubkinskoe and Luginetskoe. All gas produced by the company goes to the gas-transportation system.

The gas-transportation system - is a system of main gas pipelines within a unified gas supply system of "Gazprom" OJSC including offsetting gas pipelines. The gas-transportation system is the main gas pipeline system in the Russian Federation for transportation of produced and processes gas from the gas fields to the customers in the regions of the Russian Federation.

As a natural monopoly, "Gazprom" OJSC has dominant position on the market of services for gas transportation within the boundaries of a gas-transportation system.

Article 10 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition" prohibits actions of a dominant economic entity which result or can result in preventing or restricting competition or infringing the interests of other people.

The case will be heard on 2nd December 2009.