Gazprom for vouchers. Fifteen percent of the stock was allocated to Gazprom employees. The state retained 40% of the shares. That amount was gradually lowered to thirty-eight percent. Trading of Gazprom's shares was heavily regulated. Foreigners were prohibited from owning more than nine-percent of the shares. In October 1996, 1% of Gazprom's equity was offered for sale to foreigners as Global Depository Receipts. In 1997, Gazprom offered a bond issue of US$2.5 billion. Chernomyrdin, as Prime Minister of Russia, ensured Gazprom avoided tight state regulation. Gazprom evaded taxes, and the Government of Russia received little in dividends. Gazprom managers and board
Kovykta field the field to state-owned Rosneftegaz, but failed. On 1 March 2011, Gazprom bought Rusia Petroleum's assets, including rights for the Kovykta field, for $711 million. The reserves of Kovykta amount to 2 trillion cubic meters of natural gas and more than 83 million tons of gas condensate. The period of active gas production in the Kovykta field is expected to be 30 years, and the period of field development about 50 years. The field was developed by Rusia Petroleum, 62.9% of which is owned by TNK-BP. 24.99% is owned by the power generating company OGK-3. The Kovykta field is considered