* Seeks role in project to boost Azeri exports
* Total declared 150-300 bcm gas resources in major find
* Absheron part of generation to follow Shah Deniz field
By Lada Evgrashina
BAKU/MOSCOW, July 25 (Reuters) - Russian oil major Rosneft is seeking a stake in Azerbaijan's Absheron gasproject, sources close to the talks said, in the latest movethat may help it become a competitor of Russia's gas exporterGazprom.
Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin discussed a possible role inAbsheron with Azeri President Ilham Aliyev during a visit toBaku this month and has also been in discussions with theproject's leader, France's Total, the sources said.
Azeri state oil company SOCAR and the French oil companyeach hold 40 percent of the project to develop Absheron, ashallow-water offshore field on the Caspian Sea, underproduction-sharing agreements. The remainder is held by GDF Suez.
Exploratory drilling by Total showed the field contained 150billion to 300 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas resources. Thefind was declared commercial in 2012.
Azeri officials have said Absheron and other new fieldswould significantly increase Azeri gas exports in coming years,beyond the 10 bcm it has already pledged to Europe and 6 bcm ithas pledged to Turkey from the giant Shah Deniz field 25 km fromAbsheron.
These Azeri exports are set to compete with supplies fromGazprom, which holds a monopoly on exports of Russian gas and covers a quarter of Europe's gas needs through pipelines. ForRosneft, an Azeri deal would be its foreign foray that could putit into direct competition with Gazprom in sales to Europe.
Rival new pipeline projects are being planned to reflect thefuture competition between Azeri and Russian gas.
Aliyev and Sechin discussed cooperation in oil and gasduring the meeting, Rosneft said in a news release.
In response to a request for comment on the Absheron talks,Rosneft said it was studying options in Azerbaijan but did notcomment on potential participation in specific projects.
Total declined to comment.
Rosneft has made its growing gas business a top priority.Sechin has stopped short of openly challenging Gazprom'smonopoly on the exporting of Russian gas but has sought tosidestep it - initially by striking a deal with Exxon Mobil to build a plant to liquefy natural gas from theirSakhalin-1 project in the Pacific.
In a sign of frustration with Gazprom's gas export monopoly,the Kremlin has launched a debate on export rights for producersof LNG, though President Vladimir Putin has warned other Russiancompanies against competing with Gazprom in exports to Europe.
NEW GAS EXPORTS TO EUROPE
For the next 10 years, Azerbaijan is seen as the most securesource of new pipeline gas exports to Europe.
European buyers have struggled to find alternatives toGazprom, whose contracts link prices to oil, generally makingits gas expensive by comparison with the spot gas market.
Azerbaijan plans to start exporting Shah Deniz gas in 2019to Europe in 2019 through the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP),chosen last month by Azerbaijan and Shah Deniz operator BP.
Expanded export capacity to countries bypassed by TAP couldbe fed by Absheron and other new generation fields such asShafag-Asiman, which will be developed under aproduction-sharing agreement with BP, Azeri officials said at aceremony to announce the selection of TAP last month.
One of the sources close to the talks on Absheron saidRosneft could seek additional partnerships in Azerbaijan throughBP, the biggest foreign player in Azerbaijan and holder of a 20percent stake in Rosneft.
BP bought into Rosneft with part of the proceeds from thesale of its Russian joint venture, TNK-BP.
Of all the former Soviet oil exporting states, Azerbaijanhas been the most aggressive in courting Western investment inenergy. It allowed BP in particular to gain control of much ofits hydrocarbon production under production-sharing agreements,while SOCAR continued to dominate infrastructure and refining.
Russia so far has had little participation in the Azerienergy industry. Gazprom has kept a foot in the door throughsmall purchases of Azeri gas for export in recent years.
Sechin's visit to Baku, which followed the decision on TAPby a matter of days, could be a sign that the Azeris areshifting some attention back to Russia, perhaps to keep abalance of influence after committing the bulk of its gasresources to Europe.