Novatek PAO has obtained a Russian patent for a large-scale gas liquefaction process.
Called Arctic Mix, the process uses mixed refrigerants that enable greater liquefied natural gas (LNG) production capacity with improved efficiency, Russia’s top natural gas producer said in a press release this week.
“This LNG process has been developed to implement the company’s large-scale projects in gravity-based structures with a production capacity of more than 6 mmtpa. [million tons per annum] by LNG train,” the ad said. “Mixing refrigerants in the process allows it to be used over a wider geography with better energy efficiency and a lighter equipment list.”
“This innovation is an important step towards locating liquefaction process trains in line with the company’s strategic goal of developing LNG technologies in Russia,” the independent company said. “Leveraging domestically manufactured equipment for critical parts of the process will improve the competitiveness of large-scale LNG projects implemented by NOVATEK.”
This was the second patent he announced this year. In April, Novatek said it successfully registered proprietary rights to another liquefaction technology called Arctic Cascade Modified (ACM), an upgrade of Arctic Cascade.
“Based on operational lessons learned, technology improvements enable LNG production with a simpler equipment list and better energy efficiency,” he said on April 13, adding that the design is intended for locally manufactured equipment.
“The ACM liquefaction process is intended for the company’s large-scale LNG projects in the Arctic with a production capacity of 3 mmtpa per LNG train.”
Later this week it announced the launch of a hydrocracker it has developed under an agreement with the Russian Ministry of Energy.
“With the hydrocracker in operation, NOVATEK will be able to process heavy fractionation waste (fuel oil) at its gas condensate fractionation facility in Ust-Luga to achieve a 99% yield of marketable light oil products,” Novatek said.
“Since the project was developed using domestic manufacturing facilities and infrastructure, the company will achieve better processing profitability and a more vertically integrated value chain.”
Novatek says it is the largest independent producer of natural gas in Russia. It produced 2.9 trillion cubic feet (82.14 million cubic meters) of natural gas by 2022. Russia’s output last year was 20.24 Tcf (573 Bcf), the state media TASS on February 1 citing the country’s Federal State Statistics Service.
That was a 13.4 percent drop from 2021, TASS said. Russia lost its place as the European Union’s top source of natural gas in 2022, the year it invaded Ukraine, but still accounted for 15.3 percent of the region’s fuel imports that year , according to a bulletin updated on May 3 from the EU statistics agency Eurostat.
Tula LNG Project
In other recent company developments, Novatek said it has signed an agreement with the Tula regional government for an LNG plant capable of producing 126 kilotons a year.
“This LNG facility, the largest in the Central Federal District of the Russian Federation, will supply LNG as motor fuel through an LNG fuel network and as an off-grid energy solution,” he said. say Thursday about the agreement signed in St. Petersburg. Economic Forum.
“The use of LNG will improve the profitability of transport operations, reduce the environmental footprint, improve the reliability of energy supply and contribute to the economic development of Russian regions,” Novatek said.
Issuance of bonds
In financial activities, he said May had completed the order book for local currency bonds offered on the Moscow Stock Exchange.
Demand reached almost $958.4 million (RUB 80 billion) for the $359.4 million (RUB 30 million) on offer, Novatek announced on May 23.
The bonds have a three-year maturity with a face value of $12 (RUB 1,000).
To contact the author, please email jov.onsat@rigzone.com
