Russ Oil-Gas

MOSCOW, December 6 (RIA Novosti) - Gazprom [RTS: GAZP] and Gaz de France have signed an agreement on scientific and technical cooperation, the Russian state-controlled natural gas giant said on Thursday. "The agreement stipulates scientific and technical cooperation between the companies to: increase the efficiency of pipeline gas transportation and underground storage, as well as liquefied natural gas production, storage, delivery and re-gasification; develop technology for hydrocarbon deep processing and energy saving; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and introduce new types of equipment and technology," Gazprom said in a statement. The parties will establish task forces in January 2008 to determine priority areas of joint research for the agreement's successful implementation, Gazprom said. Gaz de France, one of Europe's largest gas companies, supplies gas to more than 14 million consumers, including 11 million in France. Since 1975, when both companies signed a gas supply agreement, Gazprom has delivered over 280 billion cubic meters of gas to France, including 10 billion cubic meters in 2006.