(Adds detail)
MOSCOW, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Russia's Energy Ministry is due
to prepare a report in the coming days about the possibility of
Rosneft exporting natural gas to Europe via the new
Nord Stream 2 pipeline, Interfax cited Deputy Prime Minister
Alexander Novak as saying on Wednesday.
Currently, Kremlin-controlled Gazprom has
exclusive rights for Russian pipeline gas exports.
Novak said this month that Rosneft had asked the government
for permission to export natural gas and the government was
reviewing the request.
The Energy Ministry and Rosneft did not immediately respond
to requests for comment.
Oil-focused Rosneft and its shareholder, BP, have
long sought to export natural gas to Europe as exports are more
lucrative than domestic sales.
Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin is a powerful ally of Russian
President Vladimir Putin.
Russia announced last week that it had completed
construction of the $11 billion Nord Stream 2 to Germany,
doubling its gas exporting capacity via the Baltic Sea.
Germany's energy regulator said on Monday it had four months
to complete operating certification for the new pipeline.
(Reporting by Maria Kiselyova, Vladimir Soldatkin and Olesya
Astakhova; editing by Louise Heavens and Jason Neely)