In the Murmansk region, the world’s largest floating facility, the first production line for the Arctic LNG-2 project, was sent from the assembly site to the field on the Gydan Peninsula. The ceremony was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Izvestia columnist Viktor Sineok relayed information from the scene.
It is noted that this event strengthened Russia’s position in the global liquefied gas market.
The Center for the Construction of Large-Tonnage Offshore Structures is an incredibly large plant that produces plants. Before the launch of the finished plant, Putin talked to the workers and exchanged impressions with them.
“There are ideas that, at first glance, even experts perceive as science fiction,” the Russian leader said, noting the size of the offshore facility.
After the report from the tug, Putin moved the lever. The first line of the Arctic LNG-2 project weighs 600,000 tons.
Gravity-type foundations are being erected on the coast of the Kola Bay, and 14 modules of topsides are being built at the same time. They are brought, raised to the desired level, installed one by one. Then, an almost completely finished plant for the production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) is sent by sea for 1,600 km to the Utrenneye field on the Gydan Peninsula. It will be connected on site, and it will begin its work.
The idea of building an LNG production facility not in a gas field, but in a convenient place with a developed infrastructure seemed difficult at the very beginning. It took several years only for calculations and projects. The construction was carried out in a huge workshop, where 10 modules can be simultaneously produced, which will produce liquefied gas and stable gas condensate.
“In each flight, we carry 2 three-hundred-ton cranes and about five 50-ton cranes,” said Alexei Korotkov, deputy director for the construction of gravity-type foundations of the Arctic LNG-2 project.
Part of the high-tech equipment had to be developed in Russia from scratch, specifically for the project, after Western companies refused to fulfill their supply obligations in February 2022. It is noted that LNG is a promising direction in Russia.
“In general, our strategy says that we must achieve from 100 to 140 million tons of LNG production. Now Russia produces 33 million tons. When implementing this project, we will reach 53 million tons over the next three years,” said Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak.
From 2000 to 2021, the supply of liquefied natural gas increased three and a half times, and the share of LNG in the total volume of blue fuel also increased. At the beginning of 2000, the share was 27%, in 2010 – 41%, and in 2021 – 50%.
The tugs are already pulling the floating plant to the place of work. It will arrive at the gas field in three weeks. They promise that the first tankers will carry LNG made on this platform at the end of this year.
Putin’s visit to the Murmansk region, which is wholly included in the Russian Arctic zone, became known on July 20. The President of the Russian Federation arrived at the Novatek-Murmansk Center for the Construction of Large-Tonnage Offshore Structures (TsSKMS), where he was met by the chairman of the board of the company Leonid Mikhelson, the governor of the Murmansk region Andrey Chibis and the presidential envoy to the Northwestern Federal District (NWFD) Alexander Gutsan.
Putin launched the dispatch of the first Arctic LNG-2 line along the Northern Sea Route to the place of operation on the Gydan Peninsula. The head of state expressed confidence that the Arctic LNG-2 would be implemented on time. According to him, LNG production has a complex impact on the development of the entire economy of the country.
The President of Russia said that over the next five years, the cargo turnover of the port in Murmansk could be doubled through the implementation of promising projects, including LNG production. As Putin noted, 56 million tons of cargo were handled in the port last year alone.
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