As Sovcomflot prepares for a boost in oil drilling in and around the Yamal Peninsula, the company this week took the biggest ever tanker through the Ob Bay. The Norwegian-built “Neva” has a length of 186 meter and a deadweight of 47,125 ton.
During the trip, the company also studied the character of the waters and made preparations for its “long-term engagement in major hydrocarbon projects in Yamal”, a press release from the company informs.
As previously reported, both Novatek and Gazprom Neft have major plans in the area. While Novatek together with Total intends to construct a LNG plant connected with the South Tambey field, Gazprom Neft plans to develop the Novoportskoye oil field. Both projects include the construction of major new port facilities, respectively in Sabetta and Mys Kamenny.
Speaking at the construction launch ceremony of the Sabetta port earlier this year, Russian Minister of Transport Maksim Sokolov maintained that the construction of the Sabetta port marks the start of a new period in Russian Arctic shipping, one which “by year 2030 could lead to the boost of hydrocarbon shipments to 50 million tons per year from the Ob Bay alone”, a press release from the ministry reads.
While Sovcomflot in the future will serve first of all Novatek and Gazprom Neft in the region, it this time shipped oil for Lukoil. The privately owned oil company has for years exported oil from the Ob Bay. Through its subsidiary Ritek Trading, the company in 2011 exported a total of 155,000 tons through the Ob Bay. The oil, which comes from the Sandibinskoye and Srednekhulymskoye fields in Western Siberia, Ritek informs. The oil has until this year first of all been shipped by the Murmansk Shipping Company with the 16 thousand ton tankers “Indiga” and “Varzuga”.
