Russia’s Gazprom is working on several new small and mid-scale LNG projects, besides the new large complex currently under construction in the Baltic port of Ust-Luga.
Gazprom is looking to expand its LNG production for foreign but also domestic markets, it said in a statement on Thursday.
The company operates Russia’s Sakhalin-2 LNG export terminal which produced and shipped record 11.6 million tonnes of LNG last year.
It also started building, along with partner RusGazDobycha, the Ust-Luga complex which will include a two-train 13 mtpa plant. This facility could also get a third train.
Besides these large-scale facilities, Gazprom has this year revealed several new LNG developments in Russia as well as Vietnam, as it continues to boost its small-scale business.
Mid-scale LNG
Gazprom said in the statement it “pays special attention” to the development of mid-scale LNG complexes, for instance, those designed to bring gas to localities that are situated far away from gas trunklines.
One such facility has been in operation since 2014 in the Perm Territory. The project includes a small-LNG plant and three natural gas receiving, storage and regasification stations. Gazprom is now working to implement similar projects in the Tomsk and Sakhalin Regions.
Moreover, the state-owned firm said it continues to work on the complex for the LNG production, storage and shipment near the Portovaya CS in the Leningrad Region.
This complex would produce 1.5 million tons of LNG per year, it said.
Gazprom is also looking into building another mid-scale LNG plant near Vladivostok, but it did not provide any additional information on this project.
LNG-powered shunter
The gas giant is also planning to expand the use of LNG in its own railroad transport.
The company’s unit Gazpromtrans has already developed an LNG-powered shunter, according to the firm.
Gazprom expects the first of such shunters to enter pilot operation before the end of this year.