OREANDA-NEWS. On October, 29 Head of Karelia Alexander Khudilainen has held a meeting with investors concerning construction of the industrial complex manufacturing liquefied natural gas in the republic..

The project is expected to be performed by Kriogas company at the support of Gazprom which representatives have taken part in the meeting with Head of the Republic. Oleg Telnov, Deputy Head of the Republic of Karelia and Minister of Construction, Housing and Communal Services, and Energy of the Republic of Karelia, Semyon Manuilov, Deputy Minister of Economic Development, and Alexei Luchin, Head of Prionezhsky region, have also attended the meting.

Nowadays liquefied natural gas is widely used all over the world. It is used in gas networks of municipal services, industrial enterprises, commercial motor transport in those places where it is impossible to bring a gas main. The new perspective kind of fuel is economically advantageous in comparison with black oil, it enables growth of efficiency of boiler-houses. Another important aspect is preservation of the environment.

As representatives of Gazprombank Inc. have told, Kriogas company today is working successfully in Leningrad region and is building similar factories near Kaliningrad.

The complex manufacturing liquefied natural gas in Karelia is created to deliver fuel to consumers of our republic and Murmansk area. The factory is planned to be located in Prionezhsky region, close to the existing gas main. The total amount of investments will make about 3 billion roubles. Start of production is scheduled for 2016. At the initial stage capacity of the factory will make 150 thousand tons of liquefied natural gas a year. About 40 new jobs will be created at the enterprise. In Karelia it is also expected to establish a transportation company which will take care of delivery of liquefied natural gas to consumers, and will offer additional jobs for 50 employees. Investors have especially pointed out that closed production cycle technologies will be applied at the projected enterprise. Thus, the enterprise will not do any harm to the environment.

Alexander Khudilainen has offered the investors to start consideration of option of using liquefied natural gas not only in the industry, but also in municipal services of remote regions of Karelia which are not included in the Gazprom's program of gas distribution network development simultaneously with construction of the enterprise. Construction of modern gas boiler-houses on economic fuel in northern regions of Karelia will enable solution of numerous problems faced in local housing and communal services.

At the meeting various organizational issues of implementation of the investment project important to the republic were discussed. Very soon it is planned to conclude an agreement between the Government of Karelia and Kriogas JSC.

To render assistance to investors Head of Karelia has appointed the project curator from the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Communal Services, and Energy, and has also offered Alexei Luchin, Head of Prionezhsky region, to render assistance to the company.

The issue of gas distribution network development is of great importance to Karelia. In our republic stretched to the north there are many settlements where main gasline can not be laid, therefore use of liquefied natural gas will help to solve municipal problems of such settlements, - Alexander Khudilainen said.