First Gas Feeds to Bovanenkovo-Ukhta GTS

Gazprom has announced that it has begun to feed first gas through the Bovanenkovo-Ukhta gas transport system (GTS) in Russia.

The GTS will bring gas from the Yamal peninsula to the Unified Gas Supply System of Russia. Construction first began on the gas transport system in December 2008, with work on the first string of the pipeline completed last month.

This, Gazprom says, is according to the schedule of the Bovanenkovo-Ukhta GTS, which is expected to begin operations imminently.

"The works are progressing according to schedule," Deputy Chairman of the Management Committee, Vitaly Markelov, said yesterday.

" Process gas is being injected simultaneously from both directions: from the North (Bovanenkovo field) and from the South (Unified Gas Supply System in Ukhta). The gas pipeline will be operational any time soon."

 The 1,240 kilometre pipeline is part of a multi-line transport system which will bring gas from the massive Yamal Penisula fields. Just three fields on the Peninsula, the Severo-Tambeyskoye, Zapadno-Tambeyskoye and Tasiyskoe fields, are estimated to hold reserves of 1.56 trillion cubic metres.

Gazprom is the 75 per cent stakeholder in these fields, with fellow Russian explorer Novatek holding the other 25 per cent stake.