Under pressure, the French oil group has decided to leave the Termokatstovoye deposit, in Siberia. However, he maintains his presence in Russia.
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Totalnergies leaves the Termokarstvoïe gas deposit, in Siberia, but remains in Russia. The French group announced, Friday, August 26 on Friday, August 26, with its Russian partner Novatek to give it its 49 % participation in their Terneftegaz co -lery, which operates said gas field. Le Monde had revealed, Wednesday, August 24, based on a survey by the NGO Global Witness and the financial database Refinitiv, that this deposit produced a gas condensate sent to a processing plant which then supplies a refinery , which sells kerosene to the air force, and in particular two military bases, in Morozovskaïa and Malchevo.
They each house a squadron of multirôle combat aircraft, accused by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch of having struck the Ukrainian civilian population, especially during the bombing of the Marioupol theater on March 16, which would have caused the death of hundreds of people. The oil giant, however, said on Friday that in the processing plant of its Russian partner, the gas condensates from its deposit were not mixed with others and were only intended for export.
After having minimized its role in this supply chain and denied all responsibility, Totalenergies would have, according to the press release, decided in July to leave the deposit in the name of its “principles of action in Russia”, revealed on March 22 . Except that the one she refers to there anywhere and appeared for the first time this Friday. This is “the progressive suspension of activities in Russia for those who do not contribute to the energy supply of the continent”.
“contradiction”
If this is the case, will Totalnergies get out of the capital of Novatek, the second producer of Russian natural gas, of which he holds 19.4 % of the capital? It is he who has the condensate processing plant supplying the OMSK refinery, which sells kerosene to Russian military air bases. Its management committee recommended, Thursday, August 25, to pay 2.27 billion euros in dividends to its shareholders thanks to the profits recorded during the first half of 2022, which would represent a gain of 440 million euros for the French group , which does not intend to give it up.
“Totalenergies is entangled in a contradiction: he gives up his shares in the gas deposit, but remains a shareholder of Novatek, which supplies the Russian army, contrary to what the duty of vigilance imposes”, regrets Clara Gonzales, lawyer in Greenpeace France. Economic issues are not the same. At the end of 2021, the participation of Totalenergies in the Terneftegaz joint venture was valued at nearly $ 197 million (197.3 million euros), while that in Novatek was up to 6.2 billion dollars.
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