"We are in talks with Saudi Aramco (on the Arctic LNG 2 project). I think we will get something concrete in coming months," Mikhelson said, adding that he did not expect global liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices to change after the project's launch.

Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting of OPEC members and other major oil exporters in Baku, Mikhelson also said that the so-called 'gas OPEC' - a loose organisation of global leading producers of natural gas - would strengthen on the global energy markets.

(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Writing by Polina Ivanova, Editing by William Maclean)