LUKoil in probe over pipeline

The Federal Anti-Monopoly Service said that it was investigating the country's second-biggest oil producer, LUKoil, on suspicion of barring a smaller rival from using its pipeline in the Komi republic.
A more liberal access to pipelines is one of the key goals that the competition watchdog is pursuing. It is also seeking a government decision that would make Gazprom more accountable in running its pipelines.

A small oil producer, Nobel Oil, complained that a LUKoil unit banned it from shipping its associated gas, a by-product of oil production, via a LUKoil-owned pipeline, the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service said.
"Having studied the situation, the [service's] Komi branch saw signs of a breach of the law in LUKoil-Komi's actions," the government watchdog said.

Pipeline shipments of gas fall under the law that defends competition, it said. The anti-monopoly service demanded that both sides submit documents about the matter by Sept. 12.
LUKoil considers the pipeline its private property, a spokesman said.
"Perhaps, we have the right to decide who we give access to," he said. LUKoil will submit the documents by the deadline, the spokesman said.