Gazprom OAO is involved in the exploration, production, transportation, processing and marketing of gas. In June 1998, the Company changed its name to Open joint-stock company Gazprom. Gas, produced by the Company, is delivered to 68 regions of the Russian Federation and is also exported to 27 countries. Gazprom participates in a number of international gas production and transportation projects. In consortium with Ruhrgas and Gaz de France, the Company became co-owner (49%) of the Slovak gas transportation system (SPP) in 2002. Jointly with Royal Dutch/Shell, ExxonMobil and Chinese PetroChina, the Russian company founded a joint venture to build the trans-Chinese gas pipeline West-East. In Iran, Gazprom, together with the French company TotalFinaElf and Malaysian Petronas, participates in the South Pars project in the Persian gulf.