The press service of the Murmansk regional Duma told Rosbaltnord.ru that Total’s representative in Murmansk, Mr. Eugen Berg, confirmed to parliament speaker Yevgenii Nikora that Total not only plans to develop business interests, but also to contribute to regional development. Mr. Berg also proposed that regional and local authorities in Murmansk establish cooperation ties with authorities in the French region of Brest. The Total representative might not, however, have told parliament speaker Nikora about the serious practical problems the company is experiencing in connection with the Shtokman project. According to well-informed sources in Murmansk, the oil company has for example major difficulties in getting access to the Teriberka area, the site for the projected Shtokman gas processing facilities.
