Sakhalin Energy LLC, the new operator of the Prigorodnoye LNG export plant controlled by Gazprom, is planning to shut the facility in July to perform maintenance activities.
Sakhalin Energy’s production director Alexander Singurov said in the company’s in-house newspaper Vesti that the company will start working at all of the integrated gas production facilities on July 1.
These include the Prigorodnoye LNG production complex, booster station No. 2, onshore processing facility, OPF compression, and LUN-A platform.
Prior to this, the firm will shut one of its oil platforms.
Unlike those of previous years, this year’s shutdown will start in May with the Piltun-Astokhskoye-B oil platform, he said.
“The Prigorodnoye production complex, where, for the very first time, we will have to carry out the overhaul of turbines without the engagement of foreign contractors, will traditionally act as the driver,” Singurov said.
He added that successful completion of this work would secure further stable operation of the facility up to the next overhaul, which would take place in eight years.
Singurov did not say how long the maintenance activities would last.
Russian LNG exporter Novatek recently received approval from the Russian government to purchase Shell’s 27.5 percent stake in the new operator of the Sakhalin LNG plant for about $1.15 billion.
President Vladimir Putin signed a decree in June last year allowing Russia to take charge of the Sakhalin-2 project due to Western sanctions imposed on Russia.
Sakhalin Energy LLC launched its operations on August 19, 2022 and the Sakhalin-2 LNG export terminal produced about 11.5 million tonnes of LNG last year.
Shell had a 27.5 percent interest in the original entity, while Russia’s Gazprom had a 50 percent operating stake. Japan’s Mitsui owned 12.5 percent stake and compatriot Mitsubishi had 10 percent in the plant.
Gazprom remains the operator of the new entity, while Mitsui and Mitsubishi won approvals from the Russian government to take stakes in the new operator.
Shell previously said it will not take equity in the new Sakhalin LNG terminal operator.
