UrBC, Yekaterinburg, November 16, 2011. Qatar, one of Russia’s key rivals on the global oil markets, might get a stake in Russia’s largest independent natural gas producer Novatek and join its project for the production of natural gas and liquefied natural gas in Yamal. The two countries’ energy ministers declared that the negotiations were already being held ‘at the corporations’ level’, with full support and promotion from both states. Still, Novatek itself has not confirmed the reports that the company might get a new shareholder any time soon, Kommersant reports.

Meanwhile, the first natural gas summit of the gas exporting countries rounded up in Doha yesterday. The summit’s main feature – the possibility of Qatar getting a shareholding Novatek and its Yamal project – was discussed behind the scenes. The country’s Energy Minister Mohammed bin Saleh Abdulla Al Sada said Qatar was interested in this partnership.