Russia’s Gazprom to build two small-scale LNG plants to fuel locomotives

Russian gas giant Gazprom said on Thursday it plans to build two small-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) production facilities to fuel locomotives owned by Russian Railways.

To remind, a unit of Gazprom began supplying LNG last year to three locomotives owned by Russian Railways.

However, according to Gazprom’s latest statement Russian Railways now plans to increase the fleet of mainline gas turbine locomotives and gas turbine shunters powered by LNG from 3 to 22 units by 2023.

The locomotives will operate on the Sverdlovsk Railway.

The two small-scale LNG production facilities that Gazprom aims to build will be located at the gas distribution stations in Tobolsk and Surgut. The company will also install platforms for mobile refuellers at the Voynovka and Surgut stations, it said.

This development is a part of an implementation program signed on Thursday in Sochi by Gazprom, Russian Railways, Sinara Group and Transmashholding.

This deal follows the signing of an agreement of cooperation in the NGV sector by the four companies in June 2016 aimed at promoting natural gas use in railway and motor transport.

Pursuant to the new implementation program, manufacturers Sinara Group and Transmashholding will take measures to improve the designs of gas-powered locomotives as well as develop new series of gas-powered vehicles, Gazprom said.

LNG World News Staff