OSCC floats out 650,000-tonne natural gas liquefaction train

Located just a few kilometres from the Russian Arctic Circle city of Murmansk, the Belokamenka Offshore Superfacility Construction Center (OSCC) is one of Europe’s largest construction facilities.

This groundbreaking facility is designed to mass produce gravity-based structure (GBS) natural gas liquefaction train series.

The train is part of Novatek’s Arctic LNG 2 project, for which three LNG GSB trains will be constructed with an annual capacity of 6.6M tonnes each, making a complete LNG capacity of 19.8M tonnes, along with 1.6M tonnes of stable gas condensate.

Locally produced equipment and materials were used to reduce capital expenditure on LNG production and were also necessary due to the current sanctions imposed on Russia. 

Novatek has been working on the project since long before the sanctions were implemented. Approval for the LNG Construction Center was granted in June 2015 and the Arctic LNG 2 project received final investment approval in September 2019.

The GBS will be installed at the Utrenneye field on the Gydan Peninsula as part of the Arctic LNG 2 project’s resource base.

In addition to the LNG train, Novatek has also established the world’s first facility for mass producing liquefaction trains on GBS. Equipped with two drydocks and manufacturing facilities, the centre has completed the installation process for the train’s 14 topside modules.

The first GBS was successfully floated out early July 2023 and is now en route to the project site.