The Skoltech expert assessed Russia's chances of remaining one of the leading players in the LNG market
Gazeta.ru article: Russian LNG industry must address upcoming challenges promptly, says analyst Sergei Kapitonov from Skoltech's Project Center for Energy Transition and ESG. He sees a window of opportunity for new LNG projects after the post-COVID economic rebound. Europe's reliance on spot market LNG surged due to Russia's reduced supplies, combined with technical issues at plants in Norway, the US, and production challenges in Nigeria and Algeria. Kapitonov predicts a deficit and high prices until around 2024, but expects significant new LNG volumes from the US, Canada, and Qatar by 2025-2026, with Russia's "Arctic LNG-2" starting in 2024. While Russia's LNG projects have advantages, there are concerns about technological readiness. Kapitonov noted alternatives like the successful "Arctic Cascade" technology. He sees creating an LNG carrier fleet as a complex challenge but suggests pilot examples could make scaling feasible. Despite challenges, he believes Russia's ample gas reserves position it well in the long-term LNG market.