Total, Novatek Bring Termokarstovoye Field Online Amid Tensions Between Kiev, Moscow
Total and Novatek announced the start-up of gas and condensate production from the onshore Termokarstovoye field, located in the Yamalo Nenets Autonomous District of the Russian Federation, confirming the French company’s intention to continue operations in Russia.
‘The field will produce around 6.6 million cubic meters of gas and 20 thousand barrels of condensate per day, with a combined production capacity of 65 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day’ reads a note released on Wednesday.
The operations will be conducted by Terneftegas, a joint-venture between Novatek (51%) and Total (49%).
“We are delighted with the start up of Termokarstovoye, the first project executed together with our strategic partner in Russia Novatek, with whom we are also jointly developing the Yamal LNG project,” Michael Borrell, Total’s Senior Vice President Exploration & Production, Europe and Central Asia, commented.
He added that the production was achieved ahead of schedule and below budget. The project infrastructure is adapted to arctic conditions.
Against this backdrop, Russia, the US and Ukraine remain stuck in political crossfire.
“US and NATO aggressiveness toward Russia is growing, and their offensive potential right on the Russian border is growing, which is creating threats not only to us, but to our allies” Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev was quoted as saying by Russian media outlets.
Also on Wednesday, Ukrainian PM said that Kiev will terminate its agreement on military-technical cooperation with the Russian Federation.
“The Russian Federation poses a threat to the Ukrainian state and its territorial integrity. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine severs the agreement on military-technical cooperation with Russia," PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk said on the Government’s website.
The Government also asked the Parliament to vote in favour of ‘foreign peacekeeping and security missions.’
“The Government offers that Parliament to give an opportunity for foreign armed forces to get to the territory of Ukraine in case such foreign units carry out peacekeeping and security operations basing on decisions of the UN or the European Union,” he said in a separate communiqué.
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