The first consignments of oil from the Novoportovskoye and Prirazlomnoye fields have been delivered earlier this month to the Umba storage tanker, anchored in the Kola Bay — allowing the full-scale utilisation of a new logistics scheme for the transhipment of oil produced by Gazprom Neft at its Arctic fields.
Images: Gazprom Neft
The positioning of this transhipment complex in the ice-free Kola Bay means efficiency is significantly improved as a result of reduced turnaround times on the double-hulled ice-class tanker’s return trips — delivering oil from the Novoportovskoye and Prirazlomnoye fields, with the standard fleet being used for onward delivery to consumers. Implemented using the Umba floating storage and offloading vessel, separate collection and storage systems for oil from the Novoportovskoye and Prirazlomnoye fields allows greater flexibility in planning tanker consignment volumes. The maximum freight turnover that can be handled by the transhipment complex is up to 15 million tonnes of oil per year.
The Umba Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) is, essentially, a moored oil transhipment complex with a total cargo capacity of around 300,000 tonnes, able to accommodate the simultaneous berthing of vessels on both sides. Its on-board infrastructure makes possible the intake, storage and transhipment of oil, and its full and timely customs and border clearance, as well as bunkering operations for shuttle-tankers and transporters.
The Umba VLCC has been fully refurbished to meet the climatic conditions of the Arctic Circle.
Oil transshipments are undertaken in full compliance with all ecological regulations and standards, with 24-hour support provided by a specialist vessel designed for the installation of floating booms during oil transshipments, as well as immediate oil spill response, should these occur.
The Umba is operated by RPK NORD LLC, under Russian colours, so titled after the river of the same name in the Kola peninsula, Murmansk Oblast.
Anatoly Cherner, Gazprom Neft Deputy CEO for Logistics, Processing and Sales, commented: “The commissioning of a new logistics scheme for the transhipment of Arctic oil is a unique project for Russia — both in terms of efficiency as well as sheer scale — in managing the work of the tanker fleet under Arctic conditions. It also represents an opportunity for us to meet market demand through standard tanker consignments.”
Source: Gazprom Neft