Transport may prove Arctic LNG-2’s Achilles heel [Gas in Transition]

Transport may prove Arctic LNG-2’s Achilles heel [Gas in Transition]

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Natural Gas News
Transport may prove Arctic LNG-2’s Achilles heel [Gas in Transition]

Summary

The first train at Novatek’s Arctic LNG-2 project, the centrepiece of Russia’s ambitious LNG expansion, is operational, but where are the ships? by: Ross McCracken

According to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, speaking in February, Russia will expand its LNG capacity to 110mn tonnes/year by 2030, up from today’s 30mn t/yr. It looks like a tall order. Central to this expansion will be the Arctic cluster, where capacity will treble from 17.4mn t/yr to 60mn t/yr. The first step is to complete the three trains of the sanctioned Arctic LNG-2 project, which will add a capacity of 19.8mn t/yr. LNG capacity in the Baltic area (Portovaya 1.5mn t/yr and Vysotsk 0.66mn t/yr) will rise to 15.5mn t/yr, while capacity on Sakhalin Island will grow from 9.6mn t/yr to 15mn t/yr and from the Murmansk LNG cluster from zero to 20mn t/yr. The 20mn t/yr Murmansk LNG project, to be built by Russian gas producer Novatek, operator of both Yamal LNG and Arctic LNG-2, received priority approval from the Russian government in October and could begin construc...