MOSCOW, April 22 (Reuters) - A local unit of Russian

energy giant Gazprom had to shut down more than two

dozen natural gas producing wells in the Orenburg region to

safeguard them from flooding, according to an in-house newspaper

published last week.

The newspaper of Gazprom dobycha Orenburg said that some

wells are located in the floodplain of the Ural river.

The Orenburg oil and gas condensate field produces 10

billion cubic metres of gas and 300,000 tons of oil and gas

condensate per year, according to the company.

Russia's Urals region and northern Kazakhstan often suffer

flooding at this time of year but are seeing the worst in memory

this year and authorities in Kurgan said the level of the Tobol

river had already exceeded the highest level since 1994.

Orsk oil refinery located in the region had temporary halted

production in early April because of floods before it resumed

output last Friday.