The two companies support different contractor development centers in the city and both fight for a stake in the Shtokman gas project in the Barents Seaб BarentsObserver reported. “No doubt, our port is at disadvantage in comparison with the one in Murmansk, that’s why it is very important for us to attract these companies to Arkhangelsk”, Mikhailovskii explained.

Statoil and Hydro opened their centers "Sozvezdiye" and "Intershelf" on respectively 13 and 21 February. These are the companies’ respective centers for training local companies to become suppliers in regional petroleum projects. The"Sozvezdiye" center is officially owned by the Arkhangelsk regional administration.