Murmansk LNG Terminal

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Murmansk LNG Terminal (Мурманский СПГ) is a proposed LNG terminal in Murmansk Oblast, Russia.

Location

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Project details

Train 1

• Operator: Murmansk LNG LLC
• Owner: Murmansk LNG LLC
• Parent company: Novatek
• Location: Murmansk Oblast, Russia
• Coordinates: 69.27668704, 33.61763022 (approximate)
• Capacity: 6.8 mtpa
• Status: Proposed
• Type: Export
• Start year: 2027

Train 2

• Operator: Murmansk LNG LLC
• Owner: Murmansk LNG LLC
• Parent company: Novatek
• Location: Murmansk Oblast, Russia
• Coordinates: 69.27668704, 33.61763022 (approximate)
• Capacity: 6.8 mtpa
• Status: Proposed
• Type: Export
• Start year: 2029

Train 3

• Operator: Murmansk LNG LLC
• Owner: Murmansk LNG LLC
• Parent company: Novatek
• Location: Murmansk Oblast, Russia
• Coordinates: 69.27668704, 33.61763022 (approximate)
• Capacity: 6.8 mtpa
• Status: Proposed
• Type: Export
• Start year: 2029

Background

The LNG plant might source electricity from Kola nuclear power plant, reducing costs that could incur from gas turbines. Novatek announced that the project will use their own gas supplies from Yamal and Gydan fields, and will not procure gas from Gazprom. The project will use new technology, "Arctic mix", patented on June 13, 2023. In July 2023, CEO Leonid Mikhelson said that Novatek was planning to start construction of the project in August 2024.

In December 2023, the project received priority approval from the government. The same month, Novatek established a new company for this project, Murmansk LNG LLC. In April 2024, Novatek was considering using one of the trains from Arctic LNG 2 Terminal for this project. In September 2024, it was reported that Novatek had suspended work on its Murmansk and Ob LNG export projects due to sanctions.

In January 2025, the construction schedule for the Murmansk LNG terminal (MLNG) was adjusted: the completion of work was moved from 2033 to 2030, according to the materials of the preliminary environmental impact assessment (EIA) submitted for public discussion. The new design documentation of LenmorNIIproekt JSC states that the construction will be divided into six stages. The first stage will last from 2027 to 2029. The second - from 2028 to 2029. The third, fifth and sixth stages - from 2027 to 2030. The fourth stage is from 2029 to 2030. The cargo turnover of each gravity-based unit will amount to 6.8 million tonnes of LNG per year, or a total of 13.6 mtpa, according to documentation.

The project was included into the "Energy Strategy of the Russian Federation until 2050", released by the Ministry of Energy of Russia in April 2025. According to the document, the Murmansk LNG Terminal with the total capacity of 20.4 mtpa is scheduled for commissioning by 2030. Some media sources mention construction of two trains only.

Location

According to the project documentation, the MLNG terminal will be located between the village of Belokamenka and the Kulonga river in the northwestern part of Kola Bay's middle section in the Barents Sea. A total of five location options were considered for the terminal, but this site has certain advantages. In particular, these are its proximity to NOVATEK's Center for the Construction of Large-Tonnage Marine Structures (CCLTMS) in Belokamenka, as well as the possibility of utilizing the infrastructure developed for the CCLTMS.

Transmission infrastructure

The Murmansk LNG project plans to source its gas through a newly constructed Murmansk-Volkhov Gas Pipeline connecting to Russia's Unified Gas Supply System, operated by Gazprom. This pipeline, approximately 1,300 kilometers (808 miles) in length, will transport up to 41.2 bcm/year from the Volkhov region near St. Petersburg to the Kola Peninsula, supplying both the LNG facility and local consumers in Murmansk and Karelia. This approach distinguishes Murmansk LNG from Novatek's other Arctic projects, such as Arctic LNG 2, which rely on gas sourced directly from nearby fields. By integrating with the national gas grid, Murmansk LNG benefits from a more stable and diversified supply, reducing dependence on specific upstream assets. In May 2025, President Putininstructed Gazprom, in cooperation with the Russian government, to build and launch the Volkhov-Murmansk Gas Pipeline by 2030.