Japanese companies
expressed interest in financing and construction of the third stage of
Sakhalin-2 LNG plant, Energy Minister Alexander Novak said in an interview with
TASS.
"During the
negotiations at the Eastern Economic Forum 2016, representatives of Japan noted
that they were very satisfied with the outcome of their participation in the
Sakhalin-2 project and showed interest in financing and construction of the
third stage of the Sakhalin-2 LNG plant. In addition, they would also like to
expand the supply of hydrocarbons from the Sakhalin projects," Novak said.
The minister noted that the
expansion of cooperation with Japan in almost all spheres of fuel and energy
complex means increasing LNG supplies to Japan, Japanese companies and banks
possibly participating in construction of the second stage of the Yamal LNG
project.
Russian gas giant Gazprom
and Japan’s Mitsui and Mitsubishi have discussed the construction of the third
stage of the Sakhalin-2 LNG plant, Gazprom said in a statement on Tuesday.
"The main attention
was paid to construction of the third technological line as part of the
expansion of the Sakhalin-2 project," the company said.
In 2009, the first plant
for production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) was put into operation in Russia
as part of the Sakhalin-2 project. The plant’s capacity is 9.6 mln tonnes of
LNG per year. Sakhalin Energy is the project’s operator. The shareholders of
Sakhalin Energy are Gazprom / - 50% plus one share/, Shell - 27.5% minus one
share, Mitsui & Co Ltd - 12.5%, Mitsubishi Corporation - 10%.
It was reported earlier
that Sakhalin-2 and Arctic LNG projects were discussed at the meeting between
Russian President Vladimir Putin's and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
"Third stage of the
Sakhalin-2 LNG project Arctic LNG and some others projects were discussed, as
well as mining and processing projects," Russian Economic Development
minister Alexey Ulyukayev told journalists.
According to the official,
"the answers to some of our investment proposals" were received at
the meeting. "We are moving to lift restrictions on lending projects,
which, unfortunately, there are now for the Japanese business," - said
Ulyukayev.
General Director of Mitsui
& Co Moscow LLC Hiroshi Meguro told reporters earlier that Mitsui
investment in expansion of Sakhalin-2 will total more than $1 bln. He noted
that the company is also interested in the Sakhalin-3 project, but did not
specify the colume of investment.
Sakhalin Energy is the
Sakhalin-2 operator, the only operating Russian LNG project so far.
Piltun-Astokhskoe and Lunskoe offshore fields undergo development within the
project framework, with recoverable resources estimated at 150 mln tonnes of
oil and 500 bln cubic meters of gas. Sakhalin Energy’s shareholders are Gazprom
with a 50% stake, along with Royal Dutch Shell (27.5%), Mitsui (12.5%), and
Mitsubishi (10%).
(ITAR-TASS)