14 March 2013, London – Eight workers were reported injured in an explosion following a suspected gas leak at Gazprom’s massive Bovanenkovo gas field on the Yamal Peninsula in the Russian Arctic.
The injured workers have been airlifted by helicopter to hospital following the incident on Tuesday, according to a Gazprom statement cited by Reuters.
“Wall panels were partially destroyed at the (facility). Key technological equipment was not damaged,” the Russian gas monopoly stated.
The company said the accident would not affect production plans at Bovanenkovo, which is expected to produce 46 billion cubic metres of gas in 2013 after being brought online last October.
The field is the largest among several onshore deposits on the gas-rich Yamal Peninsula in Siberia where Gazprom is looking to exploit about 22 trillion cubic metres of in-place and projected gas reserves.