The Russian Federation is forced to postpone its ambitious plans for a threefold increase in annual liquefied natural gas production due to the impact of international sanctions imposed on its energy sector.
This is reported by Finway
Sanctions Hinder the Development of Russia’s Gas Industry
According to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, the country planned to reach a target of 100 million tons of liquefied gas per year and capture a 20% share of the global market by 2030. However, due to restrictions imposed by Western countries, these timelines will be postponed indefinitely. Novak did not specify when Russia would be able to implement this project.
“According to Novak, the goal was to reach 100 million tons of liquefied gas per year. However, due to sanctions, achieving this goal will be delayed for several years. At the same time, the official did not provide specific timelines.”
The U.S. and Allies Intensify Pressure on Russian Energy Companies
The United States and other countries have imposed sanctions several times against Russian energy companies operating in the liquefied natural gas extraction sector. In particular, the United States has included all current and future Russian LNG production projects on the sanctions list, except for the “Yamal LNG” project owned by Novatek. Sanctions have also affected the fleet responsible for transporting Russian liquefied gas abroad.
Despite the stringent restrictions, Russia is finding opportunities for export: recently, sanctioned gas at discounted prices has been purchased by Chinese companies. In November, Russia surpassed Australia to become the largest supplier of LNG to China.
According to official statistics, in the first eleven months of 2025, the Russian Federation produced about 30 million tons of liquefied natural gas, which is significantly less than the planned volumes.