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Moscow targets Transmeridian licence



By Upstream staff 

Russia's environment watchdog said it had asked authorities to withdraw a licence from US energy company Transmeridian Exploration to develop a Russian hydrocarbon field due to licence breaches.

The Rosprirodnadzor agency said a recent check of Transmeridian's unit DNK, developing the Gasha field in the southern region of Dagestan, had found "serious violations of the licensing agreement".

"Rosprirodnadzor has submitted the results of the check to the commission considering the issues of early withdrawal subsoil use rights," the agency said in a statement.

It said DNK had failed to get the project agreed and approved in established order, polluted the area developed and had not maintained abandoned wells properly.

It also said the company, in which Transmeridian Exploration holds 50%, had failed to present documents proving that it had paid taxes on time.

Transmeridian Exploration was not available for comment.

The subsoil commission, which holds meetings on early licence withdrawals twice a month on Fridays, could not say when it was going to consider the DNK matters.


Friday, 27 July, 2007, 11:17 GMT  | last updated: Friday, 27 July, 2007, 12:05 GMT

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