MOSCOW -(Dow Jones)- Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, strong favorite to win the presidential election on Sunday, said Wednesday Russia should allow non-state companies access to explore offshore reserves, because current restrictions hinder production growth.
“We have (previously) made a decision that only state-controlled companies may work offshore in the northern seas. This, in my view, is slightly constraining production development,” Putin said according to the Interfax news agency.
“We have to consider what can be done further to broaden the opportunities,” he said.
Currently only state-controlled OAO Gazprom (GAZP.RS) and OAO Rosneft (ROSN.RS) have the rights to develop strategic offshore reserves.
-By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen, Dow Jones Newswires
Sign up for gCaptain’s newsletter and never miss an update
Essential maritime and offshore news, insights, and updates delivered daily straight to your inbox
Russian drones attacked Ukraine's Izmail port in the southern Odesa region overnight and damaged a civilian Panama-flagged vessel, Ukrainian officials said on Tuesday.
NATO member Estonia will refrain from detaining Russia's "shadow fleet" vessels in the Baltic Sea, worried that seizing oil tankers and other ships sanctioned by the West could lead Moscow to defend them militarily, a senior commander said on Friday.
The Kremlin said on Thursday that Russia had the right to defend itself from what it called piracy after a British newspaper reported that a Russian navy frigate had escorted oil tankers sanctioned by Britain through the English Channel.
Subscribe to gCaptain Daily and stay informed with the latest global maritime and offshore news
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
Sign Up
Join The Club
