Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin is this week visiting Krasnoyarsk, where the Siberian Federal University's Institute of Oil and Gas is welcoming its first intake of students.

The Voice of Russia reports that Putin met with faculty and students at the institute, which specialises in providing oil and gas training for all operational and executive levels.

Russian oil and gas major Rosneft invested 890 million roubles in the project, while the Federal Education Agency provided 740 million roubles.

Graduates of the training academy are expected to work in fields across the Krasnoyarsk territory, eastern Siberia, the Far East and the Asia-Pacific region.

Russian oil companies have invested heavily in training and development in recent years as they aim to bring ever-more complex operations on stream, such as the Sakhalin-II facility in eastern Siberia.

The arctic conditions have required pioneering technology and a high degree of technical expertise in order to ensure operations are developed safely and efficiently.

Oil and Gas Directory: Training and Development