2025-10-03 06:15:00
RUSSIAN ARCTIC LNG FOR CHINA
BLOOMBERG - October 1, 2025 - Russia’s sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 plant increased gas production to record levels in September as its cargoes appear to find buyers in China.
Natural gas output at the Novatek PJSC-led facility averaged 17.9 million cubic meters a day during most of September, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. That’s the highest daily average since the facility was launched in December 2023 and a 14% increase from August levels, the previous high.
Increased natural gas output likely also meant more production of LNG, as the plant was able to load cargoes and ship them to the Beihai import terminal in China. Since late August, seven tankers carrying liquefied natural gas from the sanctioned facility stopped at the state-run terminal, with another vessel nearing southern China, according to ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg.
The facility located above the Arctic circle is key for Russia’s ambition to triple LNG production by the end of the decade. While those plans were squeezed by international restrictions after the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine, China’s decision to take more Russian gas amid a confrontation with the US could revive those goals.
In the near term, as the weather turns colder, Arctic LNG 2 may struggle to keep production at current levels as a shortage of ice-class tankers could limit eastbound navigation through Russia’s Northern Sea Route. Last year, the facility stopped liquefying natural gas in October and reduced production at its fields to nearly zero the following month.
Still, the trend marks a turnaround, with sanctioned cargoes from Arctic LNG 2 struggling to find buyers for more than 1 1/2 years. The first vessel carrying the fuel docked in China just ahead of President Vladimir Putin’s September visit to Beijing, which also led to deals for pipeline gas. Russia aims to further boost LNG flows to China, including from Arctic LNG 2, Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev told a Russian magazine.
Arctic LNG 2 and Novatek, the project’s largest shareholder, didn’t immediately respond to Bloomberg requests for comments.
-----
Earlier:
2025, September, 24, 06:40:00
RUSSIA, EUROPE LNG SANCTIONS
These new measures follow the 18th sanctions package, unveiled in July 2025, which lowered the oil price cap on Russian crude to US$47.6/bbl,
2025, September, 24, 06:30:00
RUSSIAN GAS FOR IRAN
Russia sold 35 billion bcm of gas to the European Union in 2024, which positioned Russia as Europe’s largest gas supplier. Gas has not been subjected to EU sanctions, although the EU has stated it wishes to cut off all Russian gas supplies by 2027. Iran’s gas consumption potential can more than make up the difference and is also likely to spur Iranian industrial development.
2025, August, 7, 06:45:00
RUSSIAN GAS FOR EUROPE: +37%
Calculations based on data from European gas transmission group Entsog showed that Russian gas exports via the TurkStream pipeline rose to 51.5 million cubic metres (mcm) per day in July from 37.6 mcm per day in June.
2025, June, 3, 06:50:00
RUSSIAN GAS FOR CHINA +35%
Gazprom launched supplies via the Power of Siberia pipeline in 2019 under a long-term agreement between Gazprom and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), and supplies have been exceeding annual contractual obligations every year since 2020.
2025, June, 3, 06:45:00
RUSSIAN GAS FOR EUROPE +10%
Türkiye is the only transit route left for Russian gas to Europe after Ukraine chose not to extend a five-year transit deal with Moscow when it expired on January 1.
2025, May, 28, 06:50:00
RUSSIAN LNG FOR BAHRAIN
The prospective deal would be the first of its kind between the countries and continues the expansion of Russia's reach in global energy markets and LNG competition with the United States.
2025, April, 16, 06:30:00
RUSSIA, INDIA LNG COOPERATION
Current Russia-India bilateral trade is running at US$66 billion with a target to increase this to US$100 billion by 2030.
2025, April, 8, 06:25:00
RUSSIAN GAS FOR SLOVAKIA
Gazprom began supplying gas to Slovakia again at the beginning of February, using volumes given up by Hungary on the TurkStream pipeline, SPP said last month. Volumes were due to double from April, but no amounts were given.