Gazprom surveys sites for underground gas storage near Blagoveschensk, Khabarovsk

MOSCOW. Nov 14 (Interfax) - Gazprom is continuing exploration and is already selecting potential sites for underground gas storage (UGS) facilities in eastern Russia, the CEO of Gazprom UGS LLC, Igor Safonov said in an interview with the gas giant's in-house magazine.

"Gazprom's growing interest in the eastern route for gas shipments changes the priority in geological subsurface surveys for the purposes [of building] UGS. For example, earlier we expanded the area of geological exploration work, adding the additional subsurface property Belogorsky-2 near the city of Blagoveschensk to our Belogorsky licensed block," Safonov said.

He also said Gazprom UGS is organizing geological surveys for the purpose of building UGS facilities near the Amur Gas Processing Plant (Amur GPP) and near the city of Khabarovsk.

"Essentially, our company has entered new, geologically unexplored regions and is already getting positive results. For example, the Kamyshevskaya and Nikolayevskaya structures potentially suitable for UGS have been found near the Amur GPP. We plan to study them in detail in 2024. And near Khabarovsk two previously abandoned wells have been found at prospective sites, which increases the likelihood of positive work results," Safonov said.

Gazprom UGS is exploring a total of eight licensed blocks with the aim of finding structures suitable for UGS facilities.

"While entering new regions, we don't forget about existing storage facilities, elaborating geological data on their structure and improving the system of control and operation. Work is being done on additional appraisal of the geological structure of the Udmurtia back-up UGS complex that is being built, as well as the Nevskoye and Stepnovskoye UGS facilities," Safonov said.