Yamal peninsula

This study aims to calculate the critical loads of acidity, eutrophication and heavy metal (Pb, Cd) compounds in the vast area of Eurasia along the natural gas pipeline Yamal-West and quantitatively estimate the environmental risk at the surrounding ecosystems. The relevant research was conducted during 1994-2000 for total pipeline length (>3,000 km) including 21 gas pumping stations, from the northernmost part at the Yamal peninsula (north of West Siberia) up to the central western part of European Russia. 

In accordance with the production plans (Odisharia et al 1994), the increase of emission rate for nitrogen oxides (NO ) in the area of Bovanenkovo gas exploration in Yamal peninsula will be during 2000-2015 (Figure 7). Emission of sulfur oxide will be practically permanent and will amount to about 470,000 tons per year. These data indicate also the growth of deposition rate for acid forming and eutrophication compounds in comparison with the present period (Table 1). 

By the year 2010 Russia plans to produce totally 635-665 bcm of natural gas, including an export potential of 140-150 bcm for supplying the European market (excluding republics of the Former Soviet Union). By 2020 the production of Russian gas will reach roughly 680-730 bcm with about 160-165 bcm export to Europe per annum [17]. The planned level of exports to Europe seems realistic provided Central Asian gas is available at a price lower than the alternative price of gas from new Russian fields (for instance in Siberia, the Barents Sea, the Yamal peninsula and Sakhalin). 

But present situation in gas industry contains serious uncertainties. All main future perspectives in gas production - Shtokmanovskoye field, Yamal peninsula fields, Kovykta fields, Sakhalin project - requires significant amount of investments and technological innovations. From the other side, the wear percentage in present supplying capacities is above 50%. In addition since 1998 financial crisis low domestic gas prices were sustained. This invoked the misbalance of fuel for energy production in favor of natural gas and thus secures little amount of money for infrastructure modernization and innovations. 

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