Yamal project, also referred to as Yamal megaproject, is a long term plan to exploit and bring to the markets the vast natural gas reserves in the Yamal Peninsula, Russia. The project is developed by Gazprom.[1]
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Preparations for the Yamal's development started 1990s. According to the original plans, drilling work on the Bovanenkovo field was to have started in 1997.[2] In January 2002, Gazprom identified the Yamal Peninsula as a region of Gazprom's strategic interest. Preparatory works started in 2007 with the construction of auxiliary infrastructures, such as staff buildings and transport facilities.[2] In July 2008 Gazprom launched the construction of the Bovanenkovo–Ukhta gas trunkline at the submerged crossing via the Baydaratskaya Bay.[1] The project was officially inaugurated on 3 December 2008.[2]
On the Yamal Peninsula and its adjacent offshore areas have been discovered 11 gas fields and 15 oil, gas and condensate fields. They consists of 16 trillion cubic meters (tcm) of explored and provisionally evaluated gas reserves and nearly 22 tcm of in-place and forecast gas reserves. Condensate reserves are estimated to consists of 230.7 million tonnes and oil reserves to consists of 291.8 million tonnes. The largest gas fields, for which Gazprom owns the licenses, are Bovanenkovo, Kharasavey, Novoportovo, Kruzenshtern, Severo-Tambey, Zapadno-Tambey, Tasiy and Malygin fields.[1]
The Bovanenkovo gas field is the largest gas field on the Yamal Peninsula with estimated reserves of 4.9 tcm.[1] It is expected to be put in operation by 2011 with the annual production of 8 billion cubic meters (bcm), which will increase to 75-115 bcm by 2015.[2]
Several pipelines are envisaged for delivery of the Yamal gas. A joint project (Yamal-Europe pipeline) between gas transportation companies of Russia, Belarus, Poland and Germany was agreed in 1993 and commissioned in 1999. After commissioning of the Bovanenkovo–Ukhta gas trunkline it will deliver Yamal's gas to Europe.[2] Construction of this pipeline started in July 2008 and was officially launched on 3 December 2008.[1] The 1,100 kilometres (680 mi) gas pipeline is to connect the Bovanenkovo gas field with the Russian gas hub at Ukhta. First deliveries of over 15 bcm per year are expected to start by the end of 2011.[1]
In November 2008, Gazprom announced that it prepares a list of potential partners for the Yamal LNG project. Although the list is not disclosed yet, Gazprom indicated that ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips are included on the list.[3] Also Royal Dutch Shell, Repsol YPF and Petro-Canada have been mentioned as potential partners.