Russia looks to boost its Arctic LNG production despite sanctions

Russian gas producer Novatek will expand its Arctic LNG 2 plant despite energy sanctions from the West, Bloomberg reported on Saturday. A second production train has arrived at the plant, which is vital to Russia’s plans to boost its LNG production, the news outlet reports, citing ship-tracking data. US sanctions were imposed on the facility last year, blocking the delivery of ice-class tankers necessary for the LNG exportation, which delayed shipments for months. Russia has employed shadow tankers to avoid the sanctions, with two vessels caught on satellite image leaving the plant recently.

What’s next? “The second production train won’t start lifting cargoes until summer 2025, when the Northern Sea Route reopens and conventional vessels can again be used to load,” analyst at research firm Kpler Laura Page told Bloomberg.

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