Yamal LNG begins Train 3 exports

PAO Novatek has begun LNG exports from Train 3 of its Yamal LNG plant in Russia, reaching the site’s planned full capacity of 16.5 million tonnes/year.

Novatek said it completed work on the 5.5-million tpy third train more than a year ahead of schedule. An additional 900,000-tpy train is under construction with start-up planned for early 2020.

Yamal LNG, which shipped its first cargo in December 2017, is supported by a fleet of Arc7 ice-class tankers supplemented by lower ice-class tankers to transport LNG cargos.

It has loaded more than 100 cargoes totalling about 7.5 million tonnes, Novatek said. Natural gas is sourced from the 4.6-billion boe onshore South Tambey gas and condensate field on the Yamal peninsula (on the north coast of Eastern Siberia).

Novatek owns 50.1% of Yamal LNG, with Total SA (20%), China National Petroleum Corporation (20%), and Silk Road Fund (9.9%). The plant’s production is sold under long-term contracts based primarily on oil-indexed price formulas.

Novatek plans to produce 55-60 million tpy of LNG in Russia by 2030.

It is partnered with Total in Arctic LNG 2 on the neighbouring Gydan peninsula in northern Siberia.

Arctic LNG 2’s planned capacity is 19.8 million tpy, using gas from the 7 billion-boe Utrenneye field. The project will involve installation of three gravity-based structures in the Gulf of Ob, each supporting a 6.6 million-tpy liquefaction train.

The companies expect Arctic LNG 2 production to start in 2023.

Source: Oil & Gas Journal