When Ust-Luga Went Silent: Novatek’s Bold Move to Keep Condensate Exports Afloat

Image Source: Swissinfo

Russia's largest independent natural gas producer, Novatek, has diverted substantial gas condensate shipments to the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk following a major disruption at its Ust-Luga gas condensate processing complex. This strategic shift responds to ongoing operational challenges caused by a drone strike-induced fire at the Ust-Luga facility, which has temporarily halted significant parts of its processing and export activities.

Key Developments and Highlights

Novatek supplied approximately 70,000 metric tons of stable gas condensate to Novorossiisk in September 2025, marking a notable rerouting of exports due to the Ust-Luga terminal's shutdown.
The Ust-Luga facility, located on the Baltic Sea, includes three processing units that convert stable gas condensate into products such as light and heavy naphtha, jet fuel, ship fuel (fuel oil), and gasoil. The drone attack on August 24 caused a fire that damaged two of these units severely, halving the terminal's processing capacity.
Prior to the disruption, Novatek processed an average of 420,000 tonnes of naphtha monthly at Ust-Luga, serving key markets in Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, and China, with a total annual capacity of roughly 9 million tonnes across all units.
The gas condensate rerouted to Novorossiisk is part of a mixed cargo, combining Siberian Light crude oil with gas condensate, loaded onto the vessel Tataki bound for export, potentially towards India or other Asian destinations.

Ust-Luga Facility Disruption and Impact
The August 24 drone strike, attributed to Ukrainian forces, caused extensive damage and a subsequent fire at Novatek’s Ust-Luga complex. This facility is a critical node for Russian energy exports, especially for processing and shipping gas condensate-derived products to international markets. The damage forced a complete operational shutdown for several days, with partial resumption of one processing unit by late August. However, restoring full capacity is anticipated to take several months due to significant repairs required on two processing units.

This disruption has compelled Novatek to devise alternative export solutions, exemplified by the recent shipments from Novorossiisk, a Black Sea port traditionally used for crude oil exports rather than condensate. This rerouting illustrates the company's resilience and flexibility amid geopolitical and security challenges that threaten Russian energy infrastructure.

Strategic and Market Implications

Supply Chain Adjustments: Novatek’s decision to redirect condensate exports to Novorossiisk highlights logistical adaptations necessary under current constraints. The Black Sea route bypasses the Baltic Sea where Ust-Luga terminal operations remain limited.
Market Dynamics: The shift impacts traditional Asian markets reliant on naphtha and condensate products exported from Baltic ports, potentially altering supply routes and pricing dynamics. The cargo on the Tataki is designated as Siberian Light, a premium, low-sulfur crude oil grade, indicating integration of products to maintain market competitiveness.
Export Volumes and Capacity: With Ust-Luga operating at roughly 50% capacity (about 350,000 barrels per day), export volumes have decreased relative to normal levels, impacting Novatek's monthly export average, which hovers around 420,000 tonnes of naphtha.
Geopolitical Risks and Energy Security: The attack underscores the vulnerability of key Russian energy export facilities amidst geopolitical tensions, prompting increased focus on security, infrastructure resilience, and diversification of export channels.

Background on Novatek’s Gas Condensate Operations
Novatek's Ust-Luga complex, commissioned fully in August 2024, is equipped with three processing units capable of handling three million tonnes of stable gas condensate each per year. It plays a vital role in converting condensate into valuable products such as naphtha used in petrochemical industries, jet fuel, and ship fuel, making it essential to Russia’s energy export portfolio.

Prior to the attack, the facility processed over 4.2 million tonnes of gas condensate in the first half of 2025 alone. The disruption follows an earlier fire incident in January 2024 due to external impact, highlighting recurring operational challenges.

Outlook and Recovery Prospects
According to industry sources, repair work for the damaged processing units at Ust-Luga is expected to extend over several months for complete restoration, with partial operations already underway on unaffected units. Novatek aims to rebalance export volumes and stabilize market supply by leveraging alternative ports and shipping routes.

Energy market analysts emphasize that these developments accentuate broader shifts in Russia’s export infrastructure amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and sanctions, as well as the company's strategic pivot towards markets in Asia, especially India, amid reduced access to European consumers.

In conclusion, Novatek’s redirection of its gas condensate exports to Novorossiisk reflects a dynamic adaptation to infrastructure damage and external pressures, underlining the complex interplay between geopolitics and energy supply chains impacting global markets.

Source: Reuters