Actuality October, 17, 2007

According to experts’ estimates, reserves of hydrocarbon raw material in the deposits of Yamal pen

insula and in the offshore shelf are totaled trillions cubic meters.

Gas workers already went out at Yamal.

Twice. And both times

the powerful gas-bearing layers of peninsula remained untouched. At the end of the 1970th — in the beginning of the 1980th the prospect of development of northern deposits was eclipsed by the power of Medvezhye and Urengoy fields. Soon the whole world spoke about Yamburg. The output from fields of Nadym-Pur-Taz area of Russia was enough to cover internal needs and meet foreign consumers’ engagements.

Researches’ results of Kara, Yamal and Tambey expeditions concluded that there is gas in these latitudes. Gas is of high-quality. There are underground seas of blue fuel. But their exploitation was put off to the better times.

These times have almost come at the end of the1980th — in the beginning of the 1990th. But all plans were broken by bursting out perestroika in 1991 and with it came unrestrained chaos, politely called “a system crisis”, that expanded for almost one and a half decades.

In October, 2006 OAO “Gazprom” officially declared about the beginning of development of fields at the Yamal peninsula.

In twenty years the history closed a circle. In one place met people of different epoches. Separated by age, but bound by common business. The enterprise “Yamaltransstroy” conducts now the construction of railway, having no world analogues. Igor Nak supervises it.

Andrey Kugaevskiy continues his father’s business. In recent past he was the head of Yamal disrtict, now he is a vice-governor of Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District (YNAD).

A year passed quickly.

And in 2007 it is possible to sum up not at all intermediate results. Those decisions which haven’t been taken until now are finally approved. Construction of railway to the Bovanenkovo station proceeds at speed-up rates. The last details of project of crossing the bottom of Baydaratskaya Guba bay, building of main gas pipeline at the Yamal peninsula and of the compressor station CS “Baydaratskaya” are approved.

Contractor organizations, which will lay a main gas pipeline, settle at the peninsula. In the period of summer navigation takes place delivery and unloading of equipment in Kharasaveya harbor.

The volumes of transportations are already serious.

In 2007 and in the following year for cargo transportations will be used winter road also. But by the end of 2009 it is planned to construct railway thorough passage to Bovanenkovo.

There are simply no alternatives to Yamal on gas extraction. And first 15 billions cubes of hydrocarbon raw material should be got in 2011.

One from the main questions: by what term will the level of annual output grow to the declared mark in 115 billions cubic gas meters (BCM)?

At the moment

there are some corrections of the project.

In particular, the yield less than 115 BCM of output. Concerning the productivity of hydrocarbon raw material at Bovanenkovo, there are already other figures, more major. And if 15 billions cubic gas meters would be extracted in 2011, further development of production increases. But these plans are only for Bovanenkovo.

There are other deposits at the Yamal.

There are plenty of them.

The rates, taken at the major outlet of Gazprom at the Yamal, will not decrease.

In principle, besides the recently created investment program of territories ‘development, annual agreements between the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District (YNAD) and Gazprom are signed.

From the Gazprom part they are always executed. And a governor, George Neelov, repeatedly talked about it. Constant support is always given to municipal establishments, where the units of Gazprom are located.

Gazprom operatively solves its problems.

Today the Yamal peninsula is an action area of “Nadymgazprom”. Its managers and workers are in constant contact with authorities of district and local population. Therefore they analyze these questions effectively. If some appeal from Yamal is addressed to large Gazprom, it is considered in a primary order, the representative of company declares.