Rosneft and ExxonMobil have commenced the contractor selection process for design and engineering work at its proposed LNG project in the Russian Far East, Rosneft announced.
In 2013-2014 Rosneft and ExxonMobil plan to complete design work, including selection of a liquefaction technology and identification of major equipment requirements, to perform engineering surveys, develop Front-end engineering and design (FEED) and Russian Project documentation for the LNG plant, hydro-technical marine facilities and a source gas pipeline, as well as perform EIA.
Rosneft said that special attention during the design phase will focus on minimizing environmental impact to the unique ecosystem off Sakhalin island and encouraging development of local infrastructure.
“Given the fact that offshore fields are difficult to reach and are not connected to the national gas supply system, the most efficient way to monetize these resources is to liquefy the natural gas and sell the LNG in export markets," said Rosneft President Igor Sechin. “We are optimistic about prospects for LNG export liberalization in Russia in the near term."
The LNG plant off Sakhalin is expected to have a capacity of 5MPTA. The project is scheduled to come onstream in 2018, and will receive natural gas from Rosneft’s reserves in the Far East and other Sakhalin gas reserves.
