Gazprom signaled an openness to soften wholesale gas pricing for large industrial buyers in select regions, proposing seasonal pricing signals and a framework to balance trade flows. In a detailed discussion with Kommersant, Associate Professor Leonid Krutakov of the Finance University under the Government of the Russian Federation outlined why such liberalization could be crucial for market efficiency and clarified what steps liberalization would entail.
Krutakov argued that opening the market should come with clear, level playing rules. This means not only expanding access for domestic consumers but also ensuring open access to gas transportation and storage infrastructure. He emphasized that fair access to the pipeline network is a fundamental condition for competition and for attracting new participants into the market.
According to the expert, Gazprom aims to liberalize the market while maintaining control over the gas transport system. He suggested considering the creation of a separate, state-subordinated entity to manage the pipeline tariffs, to separate responsibilities and reduce potential conflicts of interest between production, transport, and pricing decisions.
Krutakov illustrated the practical dilemma: if production exceeds domestic demand and storage capacity is limited, surplus fuel would have to be sold at lower prices to Gazprom or face underutilization. He pointed out that in recent years a large share of investments by the company has prioritized export capacity rather than the internal pipeline network, storage facilities, or domestic infrastructure, which shapes the domestic market’s development trajectory.
The expert noted that independent manufacturers currently face restricted access to the pipeline and to chemical processing facilities due to space constraints, a situation that constrains competition and new entrants from scaling up their operations.
He argued that a monopoly structure has left gaps in infrastructure development and access liberalization. In his view, expanding resource access and removing exclusive rights would be essential steps toward a more open, competitive market that serves a broader set of players.
Krutakov warned that liberalization could pave the way for direct competition among independent suppliers, alongside Gazprom. He identified two other major players in the Russian gas landscape—Rosneft and NOVATEK—and indicated that in a structure dominated by Gazprom, reconciling interests and achieving balanced outcomes across the system would be challenging.
From his perspective, predicting the consequences of Gazprom’s proposed consumer-market liberalization is straightforward if the company preserves monopoly power in transport and export functions. The risk, he warned, is that liberalization could become a veneer for continued dominance if infrastructure remains centralized and tariff decisions stay tightly controlled.
As a remedy, Krutakov proposed removing infrastructure from Gazprom’s direct control, drawing on examples from China, the European Union, and the United States where separate, transparent tariff regimes and independent access regimes resolved transportation bottlenecks over time. He argued that without such structural changes, liberalization efforts would likely consolidate power rather than increase market breadth and price competition.
In the broader regional context, the discussion suggests that any reform path must balance the need to attract investment, preserve energy security, and ensure fair access to essential transport systems. The strategic question remains whether reforms can unlock true competition while mitigating the risks associated with a heavily centralized gas sector—especially in a market where export obligations and domestic supply needs are tightly interwoven.
Overall, the debate centers on designing a governance framework that aligns pricing, access, and investment incentives with the goals of a dynamic, open gas market. The outcome will depend on how policy makers structure tariffs, allocate capacity, and regulate entry for new producers, while maintaining sufficient liquidity and reliability inside the domestic gas system.