Gazprom expands 74 gas distribution stations operating at full capacity in 2023

MOSCOW. Oct 25 (Interfax) - Gazprom has expanded the capacity of 74 gas distribution stations (GDS) this year that were operating at full capacity and were therefore "closed" to new customers, the company said after a board meeting that reviewed efforts to expand mainline infrastructure, including overhauls to "closed" GDS.

"The company is devoting separate attention to modernization and reconstruction of gas distribution stations, the capacity of which is fully used. This makes it possible to increase the capacity of stations and connect new customers to them. The capacity of 74 such GDS has been expanded in 2023. It was noted that "closed" GDS are not a constraining factor in carrying out last-mile gasification programs," Gazprom said.

The company's management board was instructed to continue efforts to roll out a socially oriented and economically efficient system of gasification and gas supply for households, as well as expand the capacity of mainline infrastructure, including reconstruction of "closed" GDS.

Gazprom has more than 4,000 GDS, which transmit gas from the trunk pipeline to the local gas supply system that feeds population centers and industrial enterprises. Gas cannot be transmitted directly in this case, primarily due to the high pressure in the trunk pipeline, so the GDS reduces the pressure to a safe level and additionally treats the gas if necessary, heating and odorizing it to give it a specific smell to help detect leaks.

The board took under advisement the progress report on the rollout of the socially oriented and economically efficient system of gasification and gas supply for households.

It was noted that Gazprom is now carrying out updated programs for the development of gas supplies and gasification for 2021-2025 in 72 regions of Russia. The company said it is ensuring the completion of all work to the boundaries of customers' properties, including construction, reconstruction and modernization of branch gas pipelines and GDS and construction of gas pipelines between and within settlements.

As a result of the five-year programs, more than 977,000 detached homes and apartments in 5,700 population centers will get access to gas services for the first time, and 4,700 boiler houses will be able to use cleaner fuel, the company said.

Gazprom is also responsible for last-mile gasification in cities and towns to which it has already brought gas services, which involves getting gas to the property boundaries of private households and the boilers of healthcare and educational institutions. This work is being done without raising funds from households and these institutions.

Russian residents have so far entered into 1.022 million contracts with the Unified Gasification Operator (Gazprom Gazifikatsiya LLC), regional operators and independent gas distributors, 740,000 or 72% of which have been fulfilled. Another 359 contracts for last-mile gasification have been signed with healthcare and educational institutions, 133 of which have been fulfilled.

Gazprom said it is steadily and comprehensively developing Russia's gas transport system, the most extensive in the world. These efforts are aimed primarily at ensuring highly reliable gas supplies to Russian consumers. In 2022-2023, the company has built, launched and plans to launch about 3,000 km of linear trunk gas pipelines and branch pipelines, more than 80 gas pumping plants with combined capacity of about 1,800 MW and over 130 GDS, including stations after reconstruction and modernization.

The Power of Siberia pipeline runs through all of Eastern Russia, providing the gas needed to supply and gasify population centers located along its route, Gazprom said. Natural gas is reached boiler houses and businesses, including in Tsiolkovsky. The pipeline is now being expanded with the construction of loopings and increase of pumping capacity.

Work is continuing to expand the capacity of the Sakhalin-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok pipeline with a view to growing demand for gas in Primorye and Khabarovsk Territory.

In order to increase gas supplies to Northwest Russia, Gazprom is launching planned pumping capacity along the Northern Gas Transport Corridor. Front-end engineering design and design work are being done to ensure future gas supplies to Karelia and Murmansk Region.

In the Southern Federal District, the company is building the Pochinki-Anapa gas pipeline to supply existing and future customers.