March 1, 2007, 7:38AM
MOSCOW — OAO Gazprom has discussed forming a joint venture with BP PLC that could work with liquefied natural gas, Russia’s state-controlled gas monopoly said in a statement Thursday.
BP’s outgoing Chief Executive John Browne met with Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller at the company’s Moscow headquarters on Thursday, the statement said. Browne was accompanied by Tony Hayward, current head of exploration and production at BP, who is set to succeed Browne.
“In particular the creation of a joint venture for developing the international business of the companies, including LNG (liquefied natural gas), was discussed,” the statement said.
No further details of the possible agreement were provided. Spokesmen for Gazprom were not immediately available to comment.
BP spokesman Toby Odone declined to provide any further details of the talks, which he called “preliminary discussions.”
Gazprom produces no LNG of its own, though it agreed to buy a controlling interest in Royal Dutch Shell PLC’s Sakhalin-2 oil and LNG project in December in a deal that observers say came after intense regulatory pressure on the company. Based on the Far Eastern island of Sakhalin, the project is due to deliver its first LNG in 2008.
Separately, BP is in talks to reach an agreement with Gazprom over its massive Siberian Kovykta gas field, which it operates via a subsidiary of its local joint venture, TNK-BP.
TNK-BP has come under pressure from prosecutors and environmental agencies to produce more gas from the field otherwise it may be found in violation of its license to develop the site. BP contends that there is insufficient local appetite for any more gas.
TNK-BP needs Gazprom’s permission to export gas from Kovykta to lucrative Asian markets and analysts expect to see a similar deal to the one with Shell that will give Gazprom control of the field.
© 2007 The Associated Press
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Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
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A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
