According to NRK.no, representatives of the Shtokman Development AG in a press conference strongly indicated that the supply base would be developed on the Norwegian side of the border, either in the town of Hammerfest or in Kirkenes.
The supply base will be instrumental for the first development phase of the project, one of the biggest offshore gas fields in the world. The three project partners Gazprom, Total and StatoilHydro all depend on a highly efficient and smooth handling of supplies to the project installations.
According to project plans, the first gas is to be shipped from the field in 2013. As BarentsObserver reported this week, Gazprom maintains that the project is proceeding as planned and that there are no delays. All the three Shtokman partners today met in Murmansk to discuss progress.
According to MBnews.ru, the company representatives in the meeting presented the construction plans, technology and engineering plans. They confirmed that a 650 MWh powerplant is to be built in the first project phase to serve field installations.
Regional Governor Yury Yevdokimov in a meeting with the company representatives expressed hopes for the development of port facilities in the Pechenga Bay and in Kandalaksha for Shtokman services, MBnews.ru writes.
