The viability of deregulation in the russian gas industry

Russia is the world's leading gas producer. But reforming the gas industry is currently one of the major challenges facing the Russian energy industry in order to pursue its development. Since 1991, the terms of the debate have scarcely changed: what level of deregulation is required, or can be introduced, in the gas industry? The reform project, actually discussed, is quite limited. This aim is to favour the development of competition on the Russian domestic market by creation of new producers. But it maintains the production-transport integration of Gazprom, the actual gas monopoly. Also, Gazprom will retain the monopoly on exports. So, the first stage of the reform, will only be the setting-up of a transparent and non-discriminatory transportation network for Gazprom, with regulated prices, and the creation of an unregulated market alongside a regulated market. But the issue of the reform begs a number of questions on the extent to which it will be accepted by the various actors involved at different levels.