Russia's Arctic LNG 2 Plant Shuts Down First Production Train In Absence of Tankers

Russia's Arctic LNG 2 plant, currently under U.S. sanctions, has shut down its first production train because reservoirs are full in the absence of tankers to load, a source close to the matter told Reuters on Friday.

Russia's Novatek, which owns a 60% stake in the plant, did not respond to a request for comment.

Located on the Gydan peninsula that juts into the Kara Sea, the plant had been set to become one of Russia's largest LNG plants, with eventual output of 19.8 million metric tons per year between three trains.

Shortages of ice-class gas ships and Western sanctions over Russia's war in Ukraine has left Novatek behind schedule for cargoes of the super-chilled gas.

Novatek has said that 15 Arc7 ice-class tankers to transport LNG from Arctic projects will be built at the Zvezda shipyard.

The source said on Friday that the first Arc7 from Zvezda is expected to be delivered to Russia's leading tanker group, Sovcomflot, between August and September.

(Reuters/Reporting by Marwa Rashad; Editing by Vladimir Soldatkin and David Goodman)