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condensate from the Sabetta plant and to ensure the
project’s long-term feasibility.
The use of the NSR during site and
plant construction
Before the export of LNG and condensates, the port and
the liquefaction plant have to be built. Due to the remote
location and the absence of suitable year-round overland
transport infrastructure, most of the construction materials
and equipment required will need to be delivered to site by
sea using the NSR.
The principle philosophy adopted was to build the major
portions of the plant using a modular concept (typically with
modules built in East Asia). This would reduce the impact of
the polar environment on the construction process, enable
the best use of available labour, and take into account the
remoteness and limited access to the site. Modularisation
enables construction work to be performed simultaneously
in several locations, with the modules being delivered and
assembled on site, minimising hook-up, pre-commissioning
and commissioning activities at the site.
The project commenced in 2011 with the use of an old
existing jetty at Sabetta, used during open water season as
well as some winter voyages by discharging equipment
onto the solid ice offshore of Sabetta, and using ice roads to
reach the shore. This was a ‘re-run’ of some ARCDEV
exploratory voyages from the past, and enabled the delivery
of the materials and equipment to build the marine
offloading facilities (MOFs) of the port, and also to collect
data on ice conditions during the voyage and of the future
port location. This was carried out with the active
participation of Russian Arctic & Antarctic Research Institute
(AARI) experts. These kinds of voyages occurred a few times
during the winter season until the completion of the MOFs
in the Port of Sabetta.
The MOF is now fully complete and used for the
delivery of construction equipment and materials, as
well as the various modules required to build the LNG
complex. During the winter (from November 2014 to
June 2015), a total of 93 all-purpose vessels docked at
the three quays of the MOF, with ice-breakers providing
ice management, towing and escort.
In late autumn 2015, the first three module carriers
were successfully delivered to the MOF, confirming the
safe use of both marine routes through the Bering Straits
and the Suez Canal.
The delivery of plant and equipment
Most of the equipment is built as pre-assembled units in
shipyards in Far East Asia and then delivered to the Sabetta
site for final assembly and erection.
The module transportation is performed by a core fleet
of 10 heavy transportation vessels (HTVs) (including two
new Arc7 module carriers built in China and delivered in
1Q16), plus eight spot chartered HTVs as required.
Approximately 150 heavy modules (360 000 t with 55 000 t
of reinforcing and sea fastening) will be delivered by sea
year-round, either by the western route (Suez Canal) or by
the eastern route (Bering Straits) when the maritime route is
safe and ice free. The two Arc7 module carriers will broaden
the delivery window to Sabetta.
A fleet operations centre has been established in order
to monitor the estimated 85 voyages of the module carriers
during 2015 – 2018, delivering equipment for the three
liquefaction trains. This will be undertaken in three stages at
one year intervals. The centre monitors both the current and
forecast metocean and ice conditions in order to check the
behaviour of the large and heavy modules onboard with
regard to the sea state, and to provide the data for decision
and route changing should any risk be identified during a
voyage. The experience gained using this temporary
operations centre will help to define the final basis for the
future of safe and sustainable operations of the global fleet
of LNG carriers and condensate tankers.
Lessons learned regarding logistics
along the NSR
The project upgrades the logistics knowledge of the NSR
on a daily basis, and is combining with efforts from the
Russian authorities to develop this infrastructure. Russia will
reactivate 10 centres of search and rescue (SAR) along the
NSR, together with oil spill response centres. In addition to
this, the fleet of nuclear ice-breakers will be renewed and
expanded within the time frame of the Yamal LNG project
with more powerful ice-breakers (60 MW) with adjustable
draft, to work the Ob and Yenisey basins. First delivery is
expected in 2018.
Total is also participating in the Oil Companies
International Marine Forum (OCIMF) workshops, preparing
up-to-date guidelines for marine terminals impacted by ice
or severe sub-zero temperatures, also for use by the NSR
and Ice Forum for any new standards or regulations.
Conclusion
Due to its location on the Yamal Peninsula and the
Ob River, the Yamal LNG project will use the NSR for the
export of LNG and condensates. Benefitting from extended
experience in using the NSR for the transit of spot cargoes
of LNG and condensate in open water seasons, the
project’s partners and ship owners of the dedicated fleet of
ice-breaking vessels have put in place the means to develop
the proper vessels for exporting safely and reliably all year
round through the NSR.
Other studies are being undertaken to examine the
potential for further projects to develop and exploit the
large gas reserves in the area. This particular project will be
the reference point for others who want to join the
challenges of this new passageway for remote LNG.
