Gazprom said on Thursday it had chosen Total of France as a partner in developing its vast Shtokman gas field, ending months of indecision over foreign participation. It added that more partners could join.

Shtokman project

●Discovered in 1988

●Lies in the Barents Sea, about 500km off Russia’s north coast, in 350m of Arctic waters

●Reserves estimated at between 3,200bn and 3,700bn cubic metres of gas

●Cost of the project estimated at $20bn-$30bn ●Project expected to produce its first gas in 2013, and begin shipments of LNG in 2014

Analysts said such a deal could have been agreed only at the highest level. The Kremlin said Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, and Nicolas Sarkozy, his French counterpart, had spoken on the phone on Wednesday.