Russian LNG exports up in H1

MOSCOW, July 2 (Reuters): Russia's liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports rose 2.7 per cent in the first half of the year to 16.79 million metric tons, the Kommersant newspaper reported on Tuesday, but added volumes were set to decline in the coming months due to possible maintenance at the Sakhalin 2 plant.

Russia's LNG exports increased thanks to a 6.3 per cent boost in supplies to Turkey and Europe, mainly to France, to 9.7 million tons, it reported, citing ship-tracking data from Kpler.

It said Russia's Sakhalin 2 LNG plant had stopped LNG exports since June 20, probably due to maintenance.

Gazprom controls 77.5 per cent of Sakhalin Energy which operates the plant located at the southern tip of Russia's Pacific island of Sakhalin. Other shareholders are Japanese firms Mitsui 8031.T with a 12.5 per cent stake and Mitsubishi 8058.T with 10 per cent.