MOSCOW, May 12. /TASS/. Approximately ten new gas chemical production facilities will be established in Russia by 2050, with the sector’s demand for natural gas projected to increase by 20 bln cubic meters, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said in his article for Energy Policy journal.

"In order to develop the processing sector, where domestic gas chemical technologies are actively advancing, it is proposed to allocate resource bases specifically for gas chemical projects. By 2050, the creation of around ten new gas chemical facilities is planned. The resulting increase in demand from gas chemical projects is expected to reach approximately 20 bln cubic meters," he said.

By 2050, the share of transport running on natural gas motor fuel in Russia will exceed 10%, while the number of infrastructure facilities supporting natural gas motor fuel will surpass 3,000 nationwide, Novak said.

"To achieve these targets, it will be necessary to further develop the vast resource base of natural gas, whose reserves total 63.4 trillion cubic meters, and to maintain production levels in regions with established infrastructure. This will require tax incentives for new investments in the development of hard-to-recover reserves, the creation of a program to stimulate geological exploration, and the localization of high-tech drilling equipment production. These measures will enable the development of more than 5 trillion cubic meters of untapped reserves, with an annual production potential exceeding 50 bln cubic meters - including those classified as hard-to-recover reserves - in the Arctic and on the continental shelf. As a result, gas production in the country will reach approximately 1 trillion cubic meters by 2050," the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.

Currently, Russia ranks first in the world in terms of proven natural gas reserves and second in gas production, accounting for 16% of global output.