Languages

China looks towards Yamal

Novatek workers might soon get Chinese colleagues in Yamal. Photo: Novatek

The Asian superpower is getting ready to buy Russian gas, also from the Arctic.

Location

The Russian-Chinese intergovernmental commission on energy cooperation this week took a major step towards agreement over Chinese imports of Russian natural gas. The Chinese side is ready to buy Russian gas, not only pipelined from the Russian far east, but also in the form of LNG from Russian Arctic fields.

According to newspaper Vedomosti, the Chinese have signaled their interest in the participation in the Yamal LNG project, the joint venture of Novatek and Total.

Energy talks between the Russians and Chinese have been going on for almost ten years without any major breakthroughs. Now, however, the sides have confirmed their harmonized basic parameters, including with regard to volumes, time schedules and pipeline routes, Vedomosti reports.

According to Russian Deputy PM Arkady Dvorkovich, an agreement on the gas trade might be signed during a Chinese state visit to Moscow in March,  government press release informs.

The Yamal LNG project is based on the resources of the South Tambey field and will be shipped out to the world market by ice-protected carriers along the Northern Sea Route.