The Gazprom Board of Directors discussed the information on the natural gas vehicle (NGV) fuel market development. Gazprom’s main objectives in the domestic market is to considerably expand the NGV fuel business and set up the Company’s large-scale natural gas market on its basis.
This project is also of major importance for the society as a whole due to the environmental friendliness and economic efficiency of the NGV fuel. Thus, the conversion of motor vehicles from gasoline to natural gas allows for decreasing harmful substances emission fivefold at average. This is especially important for big cities where a fair share of air pollution is due to motor vehicles.
At the same time, it was mentioned that the absence of a federal law, envisaging a set of measures to promote the conversion of motor transport to gas, is one of the main problems for the domestic NGV fuel market development.
On this account, Gazprom addressed a proposal to the Russian Federation President to entrust the concerned ministries, departments, oil and gas companies with a task to prepare a draft document determining target values and specific measures of government support to conversion of motor transport to gas. Today, in compliance with the Russian President’s order, this issue is being elaborated in the Russian Federation Government.
Gazprom decided on including a special section concerning motor transport conversion to gas into the Russian Regions Gasification Program beginning with 2013.
The Board of Directors charged the Management Committee with the continuation of work on expanding the use of natural gas as a motor fuel in Russia in cooperation with state authorities.
The Management Committee was also tasked to continue work on expanding the use of natural gas as a motor fuel abroad. The Board of Directors will be made aware of the progress with this work in the first quarter of 2013.
[mappress] LNG World News Staff, October 17, 2012; Image: Gazprom