Our Arctic Neighbors: Lukoil export terminal loads 73 tankers

Russia’s Lukoil is celebrating the first year of operations of its Varandey oil export terminal on the Pechora Sea coast in the Nenets Autonomous Oblast. During that time a total of 73 tanker loadings took place, the company said in a release June 9. The terminal’s operations are supported by three 70,000-ton icebreaking tankers custom-built by Sovkomflot to operate in the region. Other vessels used to ensure the safe operation of the terminal and tanker loadings in icy conditions include the Toboy icebreaking tug and the Varandey icebreaker.

The Varandey terminal is used to export by sea Lukoil’s crude oil that is produced in the Timan Pechora basin. The terminal’s overall annual throughput is 12 million tons (240,000 barrels per day).

—Sarah Hurst