September 11, 2023 [LNG Prime]- Russian LNG exporter Novatek has produced 100 million tons of liquefied natural gas at the giant Yamal LNG project since its launch in December 2017.

Novatek announced this milestone in a statement issued on Friday saying that Yamal LNG has become the LNG industry’s “outstanding” producer in terms of the project execution and operational excellence.

The 17.4 mtpa Yamal LNG plant in Sabetta has three 5.5 mtpa liquefaction trains, and one smaller unit with a capacity of about 900,000 tons per year which features Novatek’s domestic liquefaction tech, Arctic Cascade.

Besides Novatek that holds 50.1 percent in Yamal LNG, other shareholders include France’s TotalEnergies and China’s CNPC with a 20 percent stake, each, and the Silk Road Fund that owns a 9.9 percent share.

Novatek said in the statement that the plant has been operating at 20 percent above-nameplate capacity.

The project’s share in global LNG production is about 5 percent, according to Novatek.

It gets supplies from from the South-Tambeyskoye gas field.

Earlier this year, Yamal LNG produced its billionth cubic meter of gas from the South-Tambeyskoye gas and condensate field’s Jurassic reservoirs since the start of production in 2020.

In addition to Yamal LNG, Novatek is working to launch production from the first gravity-based structure platform, or train, which will serve its Arctic LNG 2 project located on the Gydan peninsula.

Last month, the firm completed the installation of the first GBS on the underbase foundation on the seabed at the Utrenniy terminal on Gydan. The project will have three trains in total.

Novatek expects to launch production from the first unit by the end of this year and to reach its full capacity of 6.6 mtpa during the first quarter in 2024.

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.

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