Gazprom Export, the exporting arm of Russian gas giant Gazprom, has opened a small-scale LNG producing plant in Pskov, a city located in the north-western part of European Russia, near the Estonian border. The plant’s capacity is 3 tons of LNG per hour or up to 23,000 thousand tons of LNG annually, and the facility is also equipped with a CNG filling station. The owner and operator of the plant is Cryogas Pskov, a member of Gazprombank Group.

Gazprom Export said it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Eesti Gaas to cooperate in supplying Estonia with LNG produced at the plant. In particular, LNG from the facility is planned to be used as bunkering fuel for marine vessels. In addition, Gazprom Export plans to supply products from the plant to traditional European markets, to serve “autonomous gasification and road transport fueling”, the company said in the statement.

Elena Burmistrova, CEO of Gazprom Export has affrmed the group will continue to work on the expansion of its presence in small-scale LNG markets in Europe. The company currently delivers the chilled natural gas to Poland, Czech Republic, Estonia and Germany.