Reuters: Gazprom flags Shtokman gas shift; Europe wary

Gazprom may ditch plans to pipe Arctic gas from its Shtokman project, a top executive said, potentially giving Russia's top energy firm more leeway to sell supplies from the huge field to customers outside Europe.

Gazprom may instead focus on producing more easily transportable liquefied natural gas at the Barents Sea deposit, deputy chief executive Alexander Medvedev said on Saturday - the first time the company has mentioned that option.

The comment is likely to stoke concerns in Europe about whether Russia can be relied on as a major long-term gas supplier, given rising demand for the fuel in Asian markets.   MORE