Russia's natural gas monopoly Gazprom has completed pneumatic testing and started to fill with gas the first line of the Bovanenkovo ··- Ukhta main gas pipelines system. The company reported that this technological operation is conducted ahead of the gas pipeline's putting into operation.

In December 2008 Gazprom started practical implementation of the Yamal megaproject. The company started the operations aimed at the Bovanenkovo field development and the Bovanenkovo - Ukhta gas transmission system construction. The projected gas production from the Bovanenkovo field is estimated at 115 billion cubic metres per annum to be increased to 140 billion cubic metres in the long term. In November 2011, the Gazprom Management Committee resolved to feed the first Yamal gas into the Unified Gas Supply System ahead of schedule - in June 2012. Previously, it had been planned to launch the Yamal gas production in the third quarter of 2012.

"The works are going on schedule. The pipeline's filling with process gas is carried out simultaneously from two directions: from the north - from the Bovanenkovo field, and from the south - from Ukhta from the Unified Gas Supply System. The pipeline will be ready for operation in the short run," Deputy Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee Vitaly Markelov said.
The official opening of the Bovanenkovo pipeline, Itar-Tass has learnt, is scheduled for early July 2012.

The system of the Bovanenkovo ··- Ukhta gas mains is a twin pipeline gas transmission system for the supply of the Yamal gas to the Unified Gas Supply System of Russia.

The construction of the main gas pipelines system was launched in December 2008. The welding and assembly work on the linear section of the first 1,240-km train of the pipeline was completed in May 2012. At present, the construction of the second line and eight compressor stations continues. Start-up operations are underway at the Baidaratskaya base compressor station.