OREANDA-NEWS. Gazpromneft-Aero, the aircraft refuelling business of Gazprom Neft, and Renova Group holding company Aeroporty Regionov - the largest airport holding company in Russia - have signed an agreement on cooperation in aircraft refuelling and transport infrastructure development. Signatories to the document were Gazpromneft-Aero CEO Vladimir Yegorov and Aeroporty Regionov General Director Evgeniy Chudnovskiy.

Under the terms of the contract, Gazpromneft-Aero will build a 20,000-tonne-per-year-capacity refuelling complex at future Saratov Tsentralny international airport. Front-end engineering and design of the complex is expected to begin before the end of 2014.

Aeroporty Regionov has recently begun construction of Saratov Tsentralny airport, which is expected to be brought into operation in 2017, replacing the city's current facility. The new terminal will be located 30 kilometres from Saratov, with capacity for one million passengers per year and able to service practically all types of modern medium-haul passenger aircraft.

Vladimir Yegorov, CEO, Gazpromneft-Aero, commented: "Cooperation with Aeroporty Regionov is a major step forward, directed at extending our own refuelling network and strengthening the position of Gazpromneft-Aero in the Volga region. The company's current strategy envisages sales volumes of aviation fuel reaching 5.6 million tonnes of fuel per year - a significant proportion of which we plan to deliver through our own network of refuelling complexes, construction of which is being carried out consistent with the highest international standards."