OREANDA-NEWS.  December 08, 2011. OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel (hereinafter referred to as MMC Norilsk Nickel or the Company) informs that pursuant to the Strategy of Production and Technical Development until 2025 adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company on October 27, 2011, MMC Norilsk Nickel implements the program of gas supply facilities development, reported the press-centre of Norilsk Nickel.

In particular, the Strategy provides for the further development of the gas system - the construction of operational gas wells and arrangement of Pelyatka Gas Condensate Field in order to secure sufficient gas production for continuous power supply of the Company’s production facilities and Norilsk Industrial District living quarters.

The commissioning of the gas condensate field makes it possible to produce over 15 million m? of gas per day and 220 thousand tons of condensate per year. The deposit gas reserves are 250 billion m? (С1+С2).

At the moment, the Company continues with drilling works (cluster site No. 5) and construction of development gas wells.

OJSC Taimyrgaz (subsidiary of MMC Norilsk Nickel) announced open tender for drilling contractor in order to begin construction of development gas wells at cluster site No. 6.

The tender winner shall perform works related to construction and maintenance of winter roads; materials and drilling equipment supply; construction of temporary gas pipeline to provide gas to the cluster site;  derrick installation; wells drilling; wells development; and cluster site area reclamation. The works are to begin in February 2012. Well construction works should be finished by November 30, 2014, at the latest (for more information about the tender visit the Company’s site: http://www.nornik.ru/_upload/editor_files/file1685.pdf).

MMC Norilsk Nickel is building Pelyatka Gas Condensate Field - Dudinka gas and gas condensate pipeline in order to secure transportation of Pelyatka gas and gas condensate to Norilsk Industrial District consumers.

In 2011, the construction of main underwater pipeline section at Yenissei River was finished, and the construction of reserve underwater pipeline section, main and reserve sections of condensate pipeline at Yenissei River started (works are to end in 2013). In 2012, the linear pipeline segment shall be constructed (the works shall start at the segment 0 km – 80 km).

Total investments into gas supply facilities shall be USD 4.0 billion.

According to Igor Klochko, the General Director of OJSC Taimyrgaz, the erection of new pipelines shall secure the transportation of Pelyatkinsk gas and condensate after the field is commissioned, increase the safety and decrease the risks of the current gas pipeline system.

For reference. Norilsk Industrial District gas supply system is local and is not connected to the Unified Gas Supply System of the Russian Federation.