Russia’s expansive Arctic industry make big advance as first floating LNG platform sets out from Belokamenka towards Gydan, thebarentsobserver.com

It was a historical moment for Novatek and the Russian natural gas industry. Six years after construction started on the western shore of the Kola Bay, the first ever gravity-based structure for production of LNG left the plant in Belokamenka and set out into the Barents Sea.[…]

Novatek has already announced that the Belokamenka center will be used to build the projected Murmansk LNG plant. Potentially, the construction center and its major dry docks can also be applied for military purposes. […]

The massive structure that is based on 14 modules delivered by manufacturers in Europe and China is a core part of the Arctic LNG 2 project. Another two similar structures are to be built in Belokamenka and towed to Utrenneye in Gydan. They will have a comprised annual production capacity of 19,8 million tons of LNG. At least 4,000 workers have been hired to the job. Most of them are from China and Central Asian countries.

When in full swing, the Arctic LNG 2 is believed to employ about 15,000 people. Many of them will be based in a worker village in Utrenneye where a local airport and community infrastructure has been developed.

The Arctic LNG 2 is estimate to have an investment frame of about $21,3 billion. Novatek owns 60 percent of the project, while French energy company Total owns 10 percent, China’s CNPC – 10 percent, CNOOC – 10 percent and a consortium of Japan’s Mitsui & Co and JOGMEC – 10 percent. Läs artikel