In St. Petersburg last week, a Cooperation Agreement was drawn up between the Russian companies Gazpromtrans and Gazomotornoye Toplivo for the implementation of natural gas as a fuel for locomotives and associated infrastructure. The development is specific to the Gazprom-owned rail line that services the Yamal megaproject.
The document was signed by Vyacheslav Tyurin, Director General of Gazpromtrans, and Mikhail Likhachev, Director General of Gazprom Gazomotornoye Toplivo. The aim of the agreement is to promote the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a fuel for locomotives at the Obskaya – Bovanenkovo railroad and for the purposes of power generation at railroad infrastructure facilities.
It is planned to create a small-scale LNG production complex near the Obskaya railroad station and to set up platforms for mobile CNG filling stations, along with servicing points for locomotives of Gazpromtrans at the Obskaya, Razyezd 15 and Karskaya stations.
The production and sales of natural gas as a vehicle fuel is one of Gazprom’s priorities. Gazprom Gazomotornoye Toplivo is a special-purpose company established for ensuring the continuous development of the NGV market.
Gazpromtrans provides freight forwarding services to the Gazprom Group and serves as the operator of the Obskaya – Bovanenkovo railroad owned by the Company.
Obskaya – Bovanenkovo railroad
Opened in 2011, the Obskaya – Bovanenkovo railroad is vital to the implementation of Gazprom’s Yamal megaproject. The railroad ensures year-round, fast, cost-effective and all-weather delivery of technical equipment, construction materials and personnel to Yamal fields in the harsh Arctic climate. The railroad stretches for 572 kilometers from the Obskaya station to the Karskaya station (525 kilometers to the Bovanenkovo station). It includes 5 stations, 12 passing loops, and 70 bridges with a total length of more than 12 kilometers.
Source: Gazprom
Related article: Gazprom Refuels Russian Railways Locomotives with LNG