Developing Gas Fields in the Yamal Peninsula as a Factor of Economic Development of the Arctic Zone of Russia

Abstract

Currently, one of the main gas-producing regions in Russia is the Yamalo-Nenets autonomous district. Obviously, the efficiency of hydrocarbon fields development will affect the rate of the social-economic development of the entire region. In this article, we point out that surveying the detected gas deposits in the territory of the Yamal peninsula, as well as detailed field appraisal of those fields that have been discovered already can be important stages in developing the hydrocarbon potential of this region. We also point out that, during the detailed survey of a deposit field in the Tambey suite, a unique gas deposit was discovered. As one of the most important strategic directions in developing the resource base of the Yamal peninsula, there is an integrated investment project “Yamal-LNG”, which implies production of natural gas in the South-Tambey field, with subsequent liquefying and transporting to the consumers. In this article, we characterize the production capacity of the plant for producing liquefied natural gas (LNG), as well as logistic schemes to deliver LNG to the consumers. We point out that transporting LNG via the Northern sea rout has a number of sufficient advantages. Due to presence of some unique deposits of natural gas in the territory of the Yamal peninsula, we investigate the issue of plausibility of creating high-tech manufacturing plants in this region. We characterize special features of the technological complex currently under construction in the territory of the district. We mark that the level of development of the gas-producing and gas-processing plants directly depends on the positioning of the transport network for delivering hydrocarbons and cargo to world markets. We point out that large infrastructural objects we created for transporting products and cargo in the Yamal peninsula – such as the multifunctional year-round sea port Sabetta, the international airport Sabetta; also, a new transport project “The Northern Latitudinal Railway” is now being designed; it implies constructing some railway infrastructure. We make a conclusion about the significance of the project “Yamal-LNG” for economic development of not only the Yamal peninsula but also of the entire Arctic zone of Russia.