Gazprom plays LNG catch-up
The Russian gas heavyweight is looking to close the gap with competitor Novatek
Russia’s state-controlled Gazprom is banking on a new export project on the Baltic Sea to establish itself as a major LNG player and claw back its deficit to private competitor Novatek in the fast-growing global market. And it has taken the next step in realising its vision by striking a deal with Germany’s Linde to collaborate on liquefaction technology design. Gazprom was once seen as the undisputed frontrunner in Russian LNG. Following the launch of its 11mn t/yr Sakhalin-2 LNG export terminal in 2009, it drew up plans for several more projects across Russia. But the company later ceded its position to Novatek, which began commissioning its 17.4mn t/yr Yamal LNG plant in the Arctic in l
Also in this section
16 January 2026
The country’s global energy importance and domestic political fate are interlocked, highlighting its outsized oil and gas powers, and the heightened fallout risk
16 January 2026
The global maritime oil transport sector enters 2026 facing a rare convergence of crude oversupply, record newbuild deliveries and the potential easing of several geopolitical disruptions that have shaped trade flows since 2022
15 January 2026
Rebuilding industry, energy dominance and lower energy costs are key goals that remain at odds in 2026
14 January 2026
Chavez’s socialist reforms boosted state control but pushed knowledge and capital out of the sector, opening the way for the US shale revolution
