The Russian petroleum industry is facing alarming trends. Upstream, decreasing size of discoveries and a falling recovery rate challenges Russia's ability to maintain its petroleum production. For Russia's gas sector, the structure and politics in core export markets represent an additional challenge.

In order to secure vital revenue for the state, Russia faces a triple challenge of replacing current production capacity, making production more cost-efficient, and being more flexible in its gas export strategy. The Russian institutional framework, however, has yet to change in accordance with new realities.

This project focuses on how Russia´s oil and gas sector responds to current upstream and downstream challenges. Will there be institutional adaption or resistance?

This question is addressed through four work packages on institutional change covering unconventional oil, Arctic offshore petroleum, the business climate for IOCs and gas exports.

The project also includes a PhD with the preliminary title: "The Russian Gas Sector in a Changing World: Gazprom´s Response to Export Market and Upstream Challenges". The PHd project is carried out by Doctoral Research Fellow and Senior Policy Analyst Julia S.P. Loe.

Project period: 2014-2019