Yamal Tops Threshold

Yamal LNG announced September 25 that its 68th cargo was loaded onto the 'Arc 7' ice-class tanker Christophe de Margerie.

In doing so, the venture topped 5mn metric tons of LNG produced since the start-up of its first liquefaction train in December 2017. The first two liquefaction trains, with cumulative annual production capacity of 11mn mt, have been operating within their nameplate design parameters, added Yamal LNG's statement. 

Novatek CEO Leonid Mikhelson went further last week, saying that Yamal trains 1 and 2 have recently been operating at 5% or 7% above their nameplate capacity of 5.5mn mt/yr each. Yamal LNG is operated by Russia's Novatek (50.1%); partners are Total (20%), and from China, state-owned state CNPC (20%) and investment fund Silk Road Fund (9.9%).

As commissioning of Yamal LNG train 3 continues, the venture noted that first firing of a compressor gas turbine was achieved in September – one of the key activities in the T3 pre start-up sequence. Yamal train 2 began exports earlier last month. Novatek earlier this week announced it had completed the delivery of its first cargo from Yamal LNG to Brazil.  

Banner photo: Christophe de Margerie berthed at Yamal LNG on a previous visit (Photo credit: Total)