Novatek’s Yamal LNG fast-track wins plaudits
Once regarded as an unlikely addition to global liquefied natural gas capacity, the Yamal project is ready to roll and Novatek has even bigger plans
The decision by Novatek, Russia's largest independent gas producer, to accelerate the speed at which it expands its vast Yamal LNG project in northwestern Siberia has received a warm reception from market observers. Leonid Mikhelson, the company's chief executive, says the timeline for the completion of the $27bn project will arrive sooner than scheduled by fast-tracking the second and third stages. Previously, the company intended to launch three 5.5m-tonne liquefaction trains sequentially in 2017, 2018, and 2019, but it now plans to start the second train three months earlier than planned. The third train will come onstream six-to-nine months earlier while the first train may become operat
Also in this section
29 January 2026
Caught between LNG risks from across the Atlantic and the wounds from Russian gas dependence, Europe needs more than a simple diversification strategy
28 January 2026
The alliance looks to bolster market management credibility by bringing greater clarity and unity to output cuts and producer capacity later in 2026
23 January 2026
A strategic pivot away from Russian crude in recent weeks tees up the possibility of improved US-India trade relations
23 January 2026
The signing of a deal with a TotalEnergies-led consortium to explore for gas in a block adjoining Israel’s maritime area may breathe new life into the country’s gas ambitions






