Murmansk Region in Decades has been recognized as center of mining, nonferrous metallurgy and fishing. But new times become. In recent years, Murmansk region in the plans of the development of hydrocarbon deposits Arctic shelf is an increasingly significant role. There is a great scientific, industrial, transport and human capacity and the port of Murmansk should and could become the most important trans-shipment point for the work on the shelf.

Oil, gas and gas condensate increase will be provided with hydrocarbon fields of Arctic shelf in the coming years. Supply of «blue fuel» will be provided in the European part of Russia, Eastern and Western Europe, and North-American continent.

It is the territory of the Murmansk region will pave gas pipeline that will connect Shtokman deposit with a unified system of gas supply in Russia and then to Europe via pipeline «Northern stream».

Near the village of Teriberka on the coast of the Kola Peninsula will be a powerful transport-technological complex for the production of liquefied gas and a new modern port. Only the first of three phases of the Shtokman project will cost from $ 15 up to 18 billion.

Murmansk and the development of fuel-energy complex will give the second breath and it will be a powerful stimulus for the development of industry, an engine for the revival of mechanical engineering, ship repair, construction industry, all modes of transport, particularly rail and sea. That will provide the growth of employment, the area gasification and the inflow of regional budget funds.

Only at the stage of the construction of port freight processing facility, the plant for liquefied natural gas (LNG PTTK) and pipeline work would be several thousand people and about 1000 in the operation of these facilities. During the exploitation of deposits of federal and regional budgets will receive billions of dollars in tax deductions. By 2014, only through this project the gross regional product will grow by half, a 40% increase in revenue area.

Deliveries of gas will solve many problems

Murmansk really can get in the world oil and gas some major cities. His development as one of the centers will be based on involvement in the exploration and commercial development of proved oil and gas fields in the Barents Sea shelf.

It is essential for residents of the Murmansk region that due to a gas pipeline through its territory will be able to gasify towns and villages of Kola Peninsula, industrial facilities and heating. There will be removed the liquid fuel supply problem in a Russia strategically important region.

For example, the annual demand of Murmansk region in the oil products is more than 2.5 million tons. In the absence of oil processing complex the entire amount of required fuel is delivered from other parts of the country. And more than 75% delivered petroleum products accounted for fuel and its average consumption is 1.8 - 1.9 million tons. The share of oil in the fuel balance of the Murmansk region is more than 80%. Because of the high cost and the transport component - up to 25% - the level of prices of petroleum products are prohibitively high and leading to increased of municipal utilities cost.

And that's not all. Aggravate the situation and the railway lines. Only in the Murmansk area the volume of transportation of petroleum products for export more than 5 million tons per year. They will continue to grow as Kola Peninsula has a capacity for handling 20 million tons of oil a year. Often, the supply of fuel oil for heating the cities had to implement «lift-on/lift-off». In addition it is necessary to deliver in the Murmansk region and the considerable volume of liquefied hydrocarbon gas.

Of course, building a refinery in Murmansk, which would be economically justified, could solve the problem. A major argument of the need to build refineries in Murmansk is the fact that oil, which will be produced at Prirazlomnoye deposit and other offshore oil fields and heavy crude oil is much cheaper Urals brand. Thus it is cheaper to send on the export of finished products after processing of the oil refinery at Murmansk. The establishment of the Murmansk oil refinery would not only ensure the Murmansk region and neighboring regions of oil but also focused on the export of finished oil products with greater added value and increase the profitability of offshore deposits, to remove the burden on the October Railroad by releasing the power to transport of export goods. To ensure the production of 3 million tons of fuel oil in the offshore processing of oil, the power of the proposed refinery would be between from 7 to 10 million tons of oil annually. Such plans are available from several companies. But it is still a distant prospect.

The Government of the Murmansk region hopes to solve a complex social and production problems by transferring the boiler and cogeneration in the gas due to supply gas from the Shtokman deposit, which should begin in 2013.

It is expected that the produced gas will be supplied not only to the LNG plant but also through the pipeline in the direction of Volkhov will come to a unified system of gas supply. Several compressor stations and related infrastructure on the gas pipeline will be built on the territory of the Murmansk region. Part of produced gas will remain for the region. This will allow gasify settlements Kola Peninsula, the diversification of energy balance and ultimately lower prices for consumers for heating by 25-30%.

Already, the use of natural gas and laying of distribution pipelines to ensure its supply is under consideration in cities and towns in heat supply and industrial enterprises. «Gazprom Promgaz» Institute get started General scheme of gas supply and gasification of the region.

Construction Priority

It is clear that the Shtokman project will lead to the construction boom in the region.

The Government of Murmansk area in view of future prospects has developed a program of revival of the construction industry until 2015. After all, only at the stage of construction projects in the Shtokman project will involve up to 7 thousand people. In the construction of the first stage of LNG plant to be done tremendous amount of work. The block-modular steel structures will mount at the construction site of 250 hectares to 160 thousand tons. The amount of concrete work will be 250 thousand cubic meters.

For the population of the village of Teriberka is planned to build four 29 four floors 48 apartment houses, two nursery-garden on the 280 and 90 seats, three high schools, sports and recreation complex with swimming pool, gym, leisure center with 300 beds, supermarket, cafeteria, para service, 150-bed hospital and clinic. The construction of piers for small vessels and small plant for processing seafood will perform for the villagers involved in fishing.

The list of objects to build is the town themselves builders.

Human resources and capacity building institutions of Murmansk region will be in demand and with the laying of land-based pipeline Murmansk - Teriberka and gas stations.

In anticipation of these works in the Murmansk region did not sit hands folded. 

The Government of the Murmansk region and the non-profit organization «Association of Oil and Gas «Murmanshelf », together 170 industrial, construction, transport, service, logistics, financial, scientific and educational enterprises, taken proactive steps.

31 January 2008 to bring together industrial, financial and intellectual resources of the building complex for joint participation in major projects being implemented in the territory of the Murmansk region was created a consortium «Murmanshelf construction».

Its main task is to participate in the construction of port freight processing facility for the production and shipment of liquefied natural gas facilities, Teriberka social objects and overland pipeline Murmansk - Volkhov with appropriate infrastructure.

The consortium brought together over 30 companies building complex of the Murmansk region, which includes about 3 000 workers and engineers.

At their share of jobs hope other regional enterprises: JSC «Murmansk Shipping Company», JSC «Murmansk Sea Commercial Port». Shiprepairers have in its arsenal of unique equipment for the repair of vessels up to 80 thousand deadweight tons. For example, the FSA «Nerpa» and plant «Sevmorput» has already managed to make a significant advance in the reorientation of producing civilian products. Today, the share of military orders for the FSA is reduced to 25%. With its powerful machinery, modern welding equipment, a covered slip for four ships and two floating dock, berths, with depths of 50 meters, factories could really count on the orders.

Academic institutions of Murmansk region are already partly involved. It is clear that the right to become a supplier of goods, equipment and implementation services can be obtained by simply replying to a number of demands, including price, quality, timing of order fulfillment and security operations. This will act within the framework of the rigid and uncompromising competition not only with domestic but also foreign suppliers. All subcontractors must have a certificate of compliance with ISO, program safety and the environment, resources to increase production, to be responsible for damages and bank guarantees.

Of course, the choice would be for the representatives of «Gazprom» and its partners in the development of the Shtokman deposit but companies of Murmansk region hope that the priority, other things being equal will be given to Russian companies.

Staff solves everything

One of the advantages of the Murmansk region is that most enterprises in the region were able to save not only production but also human resources. But it, given the magnitude of the Shtokman and other oil and gas projects is not enough. To be effective and safe development of shelf in Russia must create a system for training in higher and secondary special educational institutions that are able to produce the required number of specialists. Murmansk State Technical University for several years prepare specialists in various fields but completely solve the problem of training is not in a position. In 2006 is open the specialization for exploration of offshore fields in the Arkhangelsk State Technical University with the release of 10-12 professionals per year but this is a drop in the ocean.

Training for the development of offshore fields should be placed on a more serious basis, and as soon as possible. Development of shelf of the Barents and Kara seas without having trained the necessary qualifications is simply unacceptable. It should be a comprehensive training, i.e. for training specialists in geology and geophysics, prospecting and exploration of oil and gas deposits on the shelf, specialists in drilling wells on the sea, the construction of offshore exploration, development and operation of specialists on maritime transport of hydrocarbons (including skippers, ship mechanic and other specialized staff), construction, and operation of offshore structures and facilities for the liquefaction of natural gas and storage of hydrocarbons, the integrated management of marine oil and gas projects, the economy, etc. etc.

Therefore, we deem it necessary and logical to organize the specialized higher education institutions to achieve this goal - release the necessary number of suitably qualified professionals. Murmansk should be a natural center for such a specialized higher learning institution. Organization of the University of Murmansk will be able to train about 200-300 professionals at various levels and specialization of each year, i.e. play a significant role in ensuring the effective and safe development of hydrocarbon potential of the Northwest Federal District of Russia.

To create a university could attract partners to implement the first phase of the Shtokman project - Gazprom, Total and StatoilHydro and preliminary discussions with them have already taken place. In addition, there is confidence that a number of other oil and gas companies as well as leading international oil and gas universities will participate in the project.

The establishment of such a university is very urgent. The preparation of decisions on the University organization, technology (Transfer and maintenance), buildings, equipment material and technical base of the university may take 3-5 years.

In order to reduce the length of such a university process can undertake this in stages, starting with the branch of RSU of Oil and Gas named IM Gubkin gradually adding the department and units and consequently expanding the range and number of specialties, transforming this institution in the Arctic Technologies University.

However, in parallel, it is necessary to expand training of working professions professionals as well as to provide additional education and skills development, the organization of their internship in foreign oil and gas companies, training in short courses with the assistance of foreign experts and leading professionals, the training of qualified teachers and the transfer of international experience.

Only a timely decision on training will be able to provide effective and safe development of Arctic oil and gas fields.

Sergey Leus, Minister of Industry, Transport and Energy of Murmansk region

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