Touring the gas field which now has a capacity of 33 billion cubic metres of gas per year, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin inspected a methanol production unit, the only one in Russia installed directly at a gas field.

The prime minister also examined the work of the complex that prepares the gas before it is fed into the country's integrated gas distribution system.

According to Novatek, which manages the Yurkharovskoye gas field, this project is unique because using the methanol production unit at the field helps rule out the environmental risks related to transporting this reactive substance.

Head of Novatek Leonid Mikhelson informed Vladimir Putin that capital investment in this field had amounted to about 118 billion roubles and that the field had enough capacity to provide about 10% of gas consumed in Russia. Mr Mikhelson also briefed the prime minister on the innovative technologies that are being used at the Yurkharovskoye gas field, including the disposal of drilling slurry and on-site methanol production units. In addition, Vladimir Putin was told about the recently launched gas condensate pipeline, which is powered only by solar and wind energy.

According to Novatek's head, comfortable living conditions have been created for workers at the field. For example, they have the only swimming pool within the Arctic Circle. In their spare time workers can go to a gym, play football, volleyball, table tennis or mini golf.

The prime minister became interested in the living conditions at the field and made an unplanned visit to the shift workers' accommodation.