Russian gas conglomerate visits Alaska

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http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/556381.html

GAZPROM: Firm tries to impress Americans with size, experience.

By WESLEY LOY
[e-mail]

Published: October 15th, 2008 12:13 AM

Last Modified: October 15th, 2008 01:05 PM

Top executives with giant Russian energy company Gazprom met in Anchorage this week with aides to Gov. Sarah Palin as well as executives from oil company Conoco Phillips and Arctic Slope Regional Corp.

Gazprom, a government-controlled natural gas producer also involved in Russia's banking and telecom industries, sent a delegation of a dozen people including Alexei Miller, chairman of the company's management committee.

The delegation took part in a "scientific research seminar" and met Monday with Alaska's natural resources commissioner, Tom Irwin, deputy commissioner Marty Rutherford and Kevin Banks, state oil and gas director.

The Russians also met separately with Jim Mulva, Conoco's chief executive, and ASRC managers. And they had lunch with former Alaska Gov. Wally Hickel.