Russian LNG exporter Novatek has delivered the first gravity-based structure platform from its yard near Murmansk to the site of the Arctic LNG 2 project located on the Gydan peninsula.
Novatek announced the arrival of the first GBS, or LNG train, on Saturday.
The unit, with a total weight of more than 640,000 tons, left Novatek’s Belokamenka yard under tow some three weeks ago and traveled along the Northern Sea Route to its final destination on Gydan.
Novatek will now fix the GBS to the sea floor and the firm expects to launch production by the end of this year.
The unit is expected to reach its full capacity of 6.6 mtpa during the first quarter in 2024.
This is the first of three 6.6 mtpa units which will serve the Arctic LNG 2 project and Novatek expects to launch production from the entire project by 2026.
The resource base of the Arctic LNG 2 project is the Utrenneye field located on the Gydan Peninsula in the YaNAO, about 70 km from the Yamal LNG project across the Gulf of Ob.
Novatek is the LNG project’s operator with a 60 percent stake, France’s TotalEnergies owns 10 percent, while CNPC and CNOOC of China have 10 percent, each.
Japan Arctic LNG, a consortium of Mitsui & Co and Jogmec, owns a 10 percent stake in the project as well.