Novak sees expanding LNG exports as key objective, calls for resources and technology

MOSCOW. March 28 (Interfax) - Expanding Russia's liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports is a key objective and it is necessary to provide new projects with a resource base and technologies, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said.

"The expansion of liquefied natural gas production and exports. This is the key objective in the current conditions, when infrastructure [for shipments] to Europe has been hurt and we have lost quite a large amount of pipeline gas exports," Novak said at an Energy Ministry meeting.

"We will develop and supply to eastern countries. Nonetheless, the liquefied natural gas market is developing actively. We have several realized projects, there are a number of projects at the implementation stage - Arctic LNG 2, Ust-Luga. We need to work on them and help to realize them. Well, and of course, in my view, we must also set a more ambitious goal, to reach at least 100 million tonnes of LNG production by 2030," Novak said.

To make this happen, "we need to provide such projects with a resource base on one hand, and on the other we must ensure independence in terms of technologies and production of the relevant equipment, which we are currently working on," Novak said.

"And the prime minister has also set such an objective and instructed us to create a corresponding project within the context of the coordination center. We have already held the first meeting of this command center and together will devote particular attention to this work," Novak said.