* Gazprom's boe (barrels of oil equivalent) reserves are the third largest in the world, slightly behind Saudi Arabia and Iran, and ahead of Iraq and Kuwait. Gazprom's daily production is equivalent to 10.3 million barrels of oil
* The company is the majority investor constructing the North Pipeline - a 1,187-kilometer gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea. The construction of the pipeline between the northern Russian port of Vyborg and Greifswald and his expected to cost $5.7 billion. The pipeline is forecast to deliver 20 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year
* The recently inaugurated Blue Stream natural gas pipeline to Turkey will transport 3.7 billion cubic meters. If Blue Stream reaches its planned capacity, then overall Russian gas exports to Turkey will be 30 billion cubic meters a year
* The company will announce shortly a shortlist of candidates to take part in its Shtokman project on the shelf of the Barents Sea. The Shtokman shelf holds an estimated 3.2 trillion cubic meters in proven gas, and 31 million tons in gas condensate reserves. Due to its location, the shelf's reserves could deliver significant volumes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the United States for a period of up to 50 years
* The Russian government increased its stake in Gazprom from 38% to 51% for a reported $6 billion. Gazprom has acquired a 73% stake in Sibneft for a reported $11 billion and has a market capitalization of approximately $119 billion
* Gazprom is reportedly the largest advertiser Russia's print and electronic media and owns a number television stations
* The Russian government is expected liberalize the trading of the companies shares - abolishing the so-call "ring fence" by the end of the year. Financial analysts believe liberalization of the company's shares could see Gazprom's market capitalization approach $300 billion
* On December 9, 2005, Russia's lower house of parliament adopted a law lifting the "ring fence" from around common shares in the energy giant Gazprom and ending foreign ownership restrictions
The law lifts the "ring-fence" from around Gazprom shares, allowing foreigners to freely buy the stock in Russia and abroad. Up to 49% of Gazprom's common shares will be publicly traded with no ownership restrictions, but the government will retain its recently acquired majority control of the company
Share liberalization will result in a huge increase in demand for the company's stock and significantly increase Gazprom's market capitalization. With a current market capitalization of $124 billion, Gazprom is priced much lower that its vast reserves of 114 billion barrels of oil equivalent would suggest. Judging by its international peers, in terms of prices and reserves, Gazprom's market capitalization should be in the area of $300 billion
