MOSCOW, February 21. /TASS/. The throughput LNG terminal in Kamchatka, planned for construction by the Russian gas producer Novatek, may become a price setting hub in the Asia-Pacific, Chief Executive Officer of Novatek Leonid Mikhelson said on Thursday.

"If we dream for a while, then the hub we plan in Kamchatka with the capacity of 120 mln tonnes may also become one of gas sales indices in the Asia-Pacific," the top manager said. Gas pricing will be hopefully less and less pegged to oil prices, Mikhelson added.

Novatek forecasts the significant growth of the LNG market in midterm, Mikhelson said earlier. According to company’s estimates, LNG consumption volume may grow to 700 mln tonnes in 2030 vs. 300 mln tonnes in 2017.

Novatek plans to implement the LNG throughput terminal project in Kamchatka with the capacity of 20 mln tonnes per year. The project is scheduled for commissioning in 2022-2023.