Russian oil and gas major Gazprom announced it has begun construction on an offshore ice-resistant platform for its Arctic shelf gas field development, Kallanish Energy reports.
The offshore production platform will be deployed to the Kamennomysskoye Sea gas field, located in the Ob bay of the Kara Sea. The field is estimated to hold natural gas reserves of 555 billion cubic meters (Bcm).
Temperatures in the region can plummet to -60C with thick ice, necessitating the installation of a specialist platform, which will be the first to be specifically developed for such extreme climates, according to Gazprom.
The platform will be designed to account for the harsh conditions of the area, specifically designed with a wedge-shaped base and to store all production equipment to avoid negative exposure effects. Gazprom also stated it is considering the impact of the platform on the Arctic ecosystem, such as using a “zero discharge” system, whereby “all production and vital waste will be disposed of and then disposed of.”
Construction on the ice-resistant platform began at the Southern Shipbuilding and Repair Center (part of United Shipbuilding Corporation) in the Astrakhan region. Further development will be undertaken at Kaliningrad, Severodvinsk, Yekaterinburg and Rybinsk.
Gazprom stated that construction of the platform is due to be completed in 2024, with production operations expected to commence the following year and yield an annual output of 15 Bcm.
Tags Gazprom Kallanish Energy News Russia
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