Decision time

摘要

This year is supposed to be the time when Russia’s planned LNG projects reach a final investment decision (FID). But the economic and political environment in Russia at present has virtually ruled out that possibility. State-controlled companies Rosneft and Gazprom said in 2013 that they would take an FID on their planned LNG projects in 2015. Rosneft and partner ExxonMobil would take an FID on the 5mn t/yr LNG plant in Sakhalin, in Russia’s far east, while Gazprom and partner Shell would take an FID on the 5mn t/yr third train at Sakhalin 2. And Gazprom planned to take an FID on its 5mn-10mn t/yr Baltic LNG this year. According to the original plans, 2014 was a time to carry out feasibility studies on all these projects, choose partners, agree on project financing and sign long-term LNG contracts. The companies in their 2013 plans aimed to commission their projects by 20