The oil and gas rapprochement between the United States and Russia has an Arctic motive

Alexey Gromov, Principal Director on Energy studies at the Institute for Energy and Finance, commented on the prospects for resuming oil and gas cooperation between Russia and the United States to the Neft and Capital Internet portal.

"The United States is interested in testing technologies for oil and gas in Arctic conditions that are used in Russia. Trump lifts the ban on hydrocarbon production on federal lands in Alaska. At the same time, companies from the USA and the Russian Federation have a good experience of cooperation in the Arctic region. Such a rapprochement will be extremely relevant for the United States.

Both countries understand that it is more efficient to extract Arctic resources through joint efforts. The Sakhalin-1 project is a slightly different story. Rather, it is about the desire of the American company to return to it on the same favorable terms after Putin signed a decree opening up opportunities for Exxon. But I would not call Sakhalin-1 a strategically important project for this corporation. It's just a good and profitable asset that the company would like to return," Alexey Gromov says.

He stressed that the United States competes fiercely with Russia in the global LNG market. Washington uses non-market methods to squeeze Russian liquefied natural gas. However, in Arctic conditions, Russia applies its technologies within the framework of NOVATEK projects. American oil and gas would be interested in using the experience and technological solutions of Russian companies in the Arctic in the United States.