Yamal project


Yamal project, also referred to as Yamal megaproject, is a long term plan to exploit and bring to the markets the vast natural gas reserves in the Yamal Peninsula, Russia. Administratively, the project is located in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. The project is developed by Gazprom.

History

Preparations for the Yamal's development started in the 1990s. According to the original plans, drilling work on the Bovanenkovo field was to have started in 1997. In January 2002, Gazprom identified the Yamal Peninsula as a region of Gazprom's strategic interest. Preparatory works started in 2007 with the construction of auxiliary infrastructures, such as staff buildings and transport facilities. In July 2008 Gazprom launched the construction of the Bovanenkovo–Ukhta gas trunkline at the submerged crossing via the Baydaratskaya Bay. The project was officially inaugurated on 3 December 2008.

Oil and gas fields

11 gas fields and 15 oil, gas and condensate fields have been discovered on the Yamal Peninsula and its adjacent offshore areas. They consist of 16 trillion cubic meters of explored and provisionally evaluated gas reserves, and nearly 22 tcm of in-place and forecast gas reserves. Estimated condensate reserves are 230.7 million tonnes; estimated oil reserves are 291.8 million tonnes. The largest gas fields for which Gazprom owns the licenses are the Bovanenkovo, Kharasavey, Novoportovo, Kruzenshtern, Severo-Tambey, Zapadno-Tambey, Tasiy and Malygin fields.

Bovanenkovo gas field

The Bovanenkovo gas field is the largest gas field on the Yamal Peninsula with estimated reserves of 4.9 tcm. It is expected to be put in operation by 2011. Annual production of 8 billion cubic meters will increase to 75-115 bcm by 2017.

Trunk pipelines

Several pipelines are envisaged for delivery of the Yamal gas. A joint project between gas transportation companies of Russia, Belarus, Poland and Germany was agreed in 1993 and commissioned in 1999. After commissioning of the Bovanenkovo–Ukhta gas trunkline it will deliver Yamal's gas to Europe. Construction of this pipeline started in July 2008 and was officially launched on 3 December 2008. The gas pipeline is to connect the Bovanenkovo gas field with the Russian gas hub at Ukhta. First deliveries of over 15 bcm per year were originally expected to start by the end of 2011. Actual pipeline filling with natural gas started on 15 June 2012; operation is expected to start imminently.

Yamal LNG

In November 2008, Gazprom announced that it prepares a list of potential partners for the Yamal LNG project. Although the list was not disclosed yet, Gazprom indicated that ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips were included on the list. In July 2014 Halliburton was added to this list. Also Royal Dutch Shell, Repsol YPF and Petro-Canada had been mentioned as potential partners.
Novatek in cooperation with Total S.A. and China National Petroleum Corporation develops a project with the same name.