Sakhalin Energy still planning to build third train at LNG plant

YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK. Oct 2 (Interfax) - The operator of the Sakhalin-2 project still plans to build a third liquefied natural gas train, Andrei Okhotkin, Commercial Director of Sakhalin Energy, said at the Sakhalin Oil & Gas Forum.

"The plans still stand. They were not closely tied in with the former partners, in fact. It's very simple: it's a question of resources. When we have additional gas that will enable us to look at long-term prospects for ensuring today's production, and additional resources, then we will of course move on to building the third train," he said.

Okhotkin said the project had passed the Main State Expert Review Board (Glavgosexpertiza). "Clearly it will have to be repeated, in a new configuration, but we are absolutely focused on expanding production," he said. He said capacity would be expanded with Russian technology partners.

The blueprints for the LNG plant's third train were ready in 2017. Alexander Singurov, Deputy Production Director of Sakhalin Energy said in 2021 that the company had received approval, a construction permit and an evaluation from Glavgosexpertiza. "The only question is about the feedstock gas for this train. All improvements and changes were made at the design stage," he said.

The Sakhalin-2 project involves the development of the offshore Piltun-Astokhskoye and Lunskoye fields off the Sakhalin coast. The Sakhalin-2 LNG plant in Prigorodny, at the southern end of Sakhalin Island, went into operation in February 2009 and reached full design capacity of 9.6 million tonnes of LNG per year in 2010. A subsequent optimization program boosted the plant's production by 20% to 11.5 million tonnes per year. The plant produced just over 10 million tonnes of LNG in 2023.

Project operator Sakhalin Energy LLC is co-owned by Gazprom , Mitsui and Mitsubishi.