<p>Interfax reported Transneft's president, Semyon Vainshtok, as saying: Along with Gazprom, we are thoroughly studying the issue of the parallel construction of a gas pipeline. We'll help as much as we can. According to Platts, however, Gazprom has refused to comment. <br /><br />Platts has reported that the companies' decision will be dependant on Russia's program for developing gas projects in East Siberia. The publication said that the Russian government has so far not approved plans for tapping the area's natural gas resources or for building a network to transport it. <br /><br />Platts cited UBS as saying that the East Siberian location for a gas pipeline would create significant synergies for Gazprom, because of the East Siberia Pacific oil (ESPO) pipeline's proximity. <br /><br />According to Russian new agency Itar-Tass, Transneft's president has also confirmed that the first segment of the oil pipeline will be finished by 2008, and that even though the pipeline's route has been extended, construction is going according to schedule and may even be surpassing it.</p>
