Gazprom’s first gas filling station in Kalmykia launched at SPIGF 2022

The opening ceremony for Gazprom's compressed natural gas (CNG) filling station located in the Republic of Kalmykia was held today via a video call at St. Petersburg International Gas Forum (SPIGF) 2022.

Taking part in the event were Vitaly Markelov, Deputy Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, Batu Khasikov, Head of the Republic of Kalmykia, and Denis Kornienko, Acting Director General of Gazprom Gazomotornoye Toplivo.

This is the first CNG filling station of Gazprom in the region. The facility is based in the eastern part of the city of Elista near the federal highways R-22 Caspian and R-216 Astrakhan – Elista – Stavropol. The CNG station can provide up to 500 cars a day with natural gas. It will primarily service transit transport.

In addition, five stations under the Gazprom brand name were launched as part of the event: two stations in the Republic of Tatarstan (in the Aktanyshsky and Menzelinsky Districts on the federal highway M-7 Volga), two in the Omsk Region (in Tyukalinsk near the Tyumen – Omsk highway and in the territory of Omsk), and one in the Rostov Region (at the crossing of the Rostov – Voronezh and Millerovo – Krivorozhye motorways).

The abovementioned facilities can refuel a total of up to 500 vehicles a day with natural gas. These are the first stations in Gazprom's CNG filling network to operate under a franchise contract. The projects involve regional fuel operators with excellent business credentials. The Company will conduct regular quality assessments at the facilities.

SPIGF 2022 also hosted the finish event of the Gas into Engines rally for vehicles powered by natural gas. This year's rally had the longest route in the history of the race. The racers drove 10,000 kilometers from Vladivostok to St. Petersburg across 25 regions of the Far Eastern, Siberian, Ural, Volga, Central, and Northwestern Federal Districts.

KAMAZ-5490 NEO freight trucks, which are custom-made for Gazprom and operated by Gazprom Helium Service, traveled the entire route of the rally. The trucks are fueled by liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The vehicles covered the distance without any technical difficulties, confirming the reliability of Russian NGVs. Moreover, the race proved once again that the use of natural gas in transport is an eco-friendly and cost-effective solution. It cost half as much to refuel the trucks with LNG as it would using diesel fuel.

The motorcade at the finish line also included an LNG-powered LOTOS bus and a number of vehicles fueled by compressed natural gas, namely, LADA Vesta, LADA Largus, GAZelle Business, and GAZelle NEXT. All these vehicles were developed and manufactured by Russian automakers in cooperation with Gazprom.

Gazprom and the Republic of Dagestan signed at SPIGF 2022 a roadmap to develop the region's NGV fuel market for 2022–2025.

Currently, two CNG stations are operating in Dagestan. Gazprom plans to build five new stations in the region over the next few years. The regional authorities will, inter alia, provide support in allotting land plots for the refueling facilities. The parties will jointly develop additional measures to make sure that the existing and planned stations work at full capacity.

Dagestan's consumption of gas as a vehicle fuel is projected to nearly double after the roadmap is implemented.

A prototype of a new bus for shift personnel, an all-wheel drive KAMAZ-6250 which was custom-made for Gazprom, was also presented at SPIGF 2022. The prototype is equipped with a cryogenic fuel system powered by liquefied natural gas (methane).

If needed, KAMAZ-6250 can be equipped with a fuel system powered by compressed natural gas or diesel fuel. Additional features include increased heat insulation for operation in the Far North.

Gazprom plans to purchase buses of this model for the transportation of its shift personnel.