Gazprom 1980s, the Ministry of Gas Industry found large natural gas reserves in Siberia, the Ural region and the Volga region. The Soviet Union became a major gas producer. In August 1989, under the leadership of Viktor Chernomyrdin, the Ministry of Gas Industry was renamed the "State Gas Concern Gazprom", and became the Soviet Union's first state run corporate enterprise. In late 1991, when the Soviet Union dissolved, gas industry assets were transferred to newly established national companies, such as Ukrgazprom and Turkmengazprom. Gazprom kept assets located in Russia and secured a monopoly in the gas sector. In December 1992, when
Sibir Energy Sibir Energy Sibir Energy is a London-based Russian public limited company, whose primary line of business is petroleum and natural gas exploration in Siberia. Its shares were traded on the Alternative Investment Market, part of the London Stock Exchange. As of 2011, it is a wholly owned subsidiary of Gazprom Neft. Sibir was founded in 1996, and since then it had pursued an integrated model for its business operations by retaining a focus on retail as well as its core exploration, extraction and refinery activities. On 21 August 2009, Gazprom Neft made a bid to take over all shares in