The Ukhta-Torzhok 2 gas pipeline represents the latest expansion on the northern corridor of Russia’s Unified Gas Supply System (UGSS) in order to supply additional gas from the Yamal Peninsula to north-western Russia.
Owned and operated by Russia’s state-owned gas monopoly Gazprom, the 970km-long Ukhta-Torzhok 2 gas trunkline was brought into service in December 2018.
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It was followed by the commissioning of two Bovanenkovo-Ukhta pipelines and the first Ukhta – -Torzhok pipeline on the northern gas transmission corridor of the UGSS between 2012 and 2017.
Construction of the Ukhta-Torzhok 2 pipeline was started in October 2015 and completed in November 2018.
Bovanenkovskoye gas field development details
The Ukhta-Torzhok trunkline system sources gas from the Bovanenkovskoye field located in the Yamal peninsula.
With an estimated gas reserve of 4.9 trillion cubic meters, the Bovanenkovo field is considered to be the biggest gas field in Russia’s Yamal Peninsula.
The onshore gas field has been developed with three gas production facilities, which were commissioned in 2012, 2014 and 2018, respectively.
The Bovanenkovo field has the capacity to produce 115 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas a year, which is supplied through four pipelines to north-western Russia for domestic consumption and export.
The first sets of Bovanenkovo-Ukhta and Ukhta-Torzhok pipelines were brought on-stream in 2012.
The Bovanenkovo-Ukhta 2 pipeline was commissioned in 2017, whereas the Ukhta-Torzhok 2 pipeline was connected to Russia’s UGSS with the commissioning of the last gas production facility of the Bovanenkovo field in December 2018.
Bovanenkovo-Ukhta pipeline details
Gazprom began the construction of the first Bovanenkovo-Ukhta gas pipeline with the start of drilling of the first production well at the Bovanenkovo gas field in 2008.
Each string of the Bovanenkovo-Ukhta pipeline system is 120km-long and has a diameter of 1.42m.
The two gas pipelines have a combined capacity to transport 115bcm of gas a year.
Ukhta-Torzhok pipelines design and route details
The Ukhta-Torzhok and Ukhta-Torzhok 2 pipelines run parallel to each other. Each pipeline is 970km-long and has a diameter of 1.42m.
Operating at nine mega pascal (Mpa) working pressure, each pipeline is designed to carry 45bcm of natural gas a year.
The pipelines are equipped with seven compressor stations, out of which four are of 375MW capacity and three are of 250MW capacity.
The Ukhta-Torzhok pipelines pass through three Russian regions namely Komi, Arkhangelsk, and Vologda.
The pipeline segments of the Ukhta-Torzhok trunkline system are made-up of cold-resistant steel and are externally insulated for protection from corrosion.
The pipeline construction involved two river crossings on Sukhona River (983m) and the Little Northen Dvina River (1.27km). Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) technique was employed for laying the pipeline across the two rivers.
The pipeline also involved 18 highway and three under-railway crossings along its route.
Contractors involved in the Ukhta-Torzhok 2 gas pipeline
Stroygazmontah (SGM Group) was the general contractor for the 485km segment of the Ukhta-Torzhok 2 pipeline and four compressor stations Novosindorskaya, Novoprivodinskaya, Novonyuksenitskaya, and Novoyubileynaya.
SGM Group engaged Lengazspetsstroy, Krasnodargazstroy, Orteks, and Neftegazkomplektmontazh as construction subcontractors for the pipeline.
Stroygazconsulting (SGC) was responsible for the construction of a 400km-long segment of the Ukhta-Torzhok 2 trunkline system under a contract awarded in December 2016.
Stroytransgaz was responsible for the construction of the remaining sections of the Ukhta-Torzhok 2 trunkline.
United Engine Corporation (UES), a joint venture between Rostec and Oboronprom, provided compressor units for the Ukhta-Torzhok 2 gas pipeline.
