Plans of Total CEO dying in air crash to be brought into life - deputy premier

MOSCOW, October 22. /TASS/. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said he hoped that Christophe de Margerie’s plans and ideas will be translated into life, he said so at the opening of a national oil and gas forum in the Russian capital on Wednesday. “Everybody agreed that we should start a forum with a minute of silence in memory of our colleague Christophe de Margerie and crewmembers of the jet he was about to fly by, but died tragically in the air crash. He was truly our friend, a friend of Russia, was thinking strategically, did not see development of global energy industry without co-operation of all parties concerned and I hope that his plans, his ideas will be brought into life,” Dvorkovich said. Overnight to Tuesday Christophe de Margerie’s jet Falcon-300 crashed at Moscow airport Vnukovo-3 colliding with a snowplough in takeoff. All three crewmembers and the only passenger - the Total CEO died in the air crash. Christophe de Margerie was one of main and most devoted supporters of rapprochement with Russia in European business quarters. He called for development of Total projects in Russia, such as Yamal LNG in partnership with second largest Russian gas producer NOVATEK. Several analysts are concerned that after the death of its CEO the company may revise its strategy. De Margerie was also an ardent opponent of sanctions against Russia and Russian companies. The Total chief noted that deliberate import reduction from Russia would push up gas prices from other suppliers that would not suit end consumers. Concern Total has been operating in Russia since 1991 implementing several projects in prospecting and production of hydrocarbons, marketing and trading. For these years the concern has established partnership relations with leading Russian oil and gas companies. Total plans to double hydrocarbon output in Russia by 2020 bringing it to ten percent of its overall yield. Learn more on itar-tass.com