French energy giant, Total, announced that it has started production from the Termokarstovoye gas field in Russia’s northern Siberia in cooperation with its Russian partner, Novatek.

According to Wednesday announcement, the field is projected to produce around 6.6 million cubic meter (mcm) of gas and 20,000 barrels of condensate per day. Combined production capacity of the field has been estimated at 65,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, AFP reported.

"We are delighted with the startup of Termokarstovoye, the first project executed together with our strategic partner in Russia, Novatek," Total's senior vice president for exploration and production in Europe and Central Asia, Michael Borrell, said in a statement.

Total and Novatek are cooperating with China's CNPC in the same region to develop the USD-27-billion Yamal field, which is ultimately meant to be one of the world's biggest liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects with energy deliveries to both Asia and Europe.

Borrell said Termokarstovoye is Total's fourth project to go online this year and will contribute to the company's production growth during the current year.

During recent years, Total has focused on increasing output, in particular through operations in Russia, which is expected to become its top production source by 2020.

On April 19, AFP reported that Yamal gas megaproject, which is expected to cost USD 27 billion is going on nonstop despite extreme climatic conditions and sanctions imposed on Russia by the United States and European Union over allegations that Moscow has a hand in east Ukrainian crisis.

Yamal site is located about 2,500 kilometers (1,600 miles) northeast of the Russian capital, Moscow, where the joint venture is being carried out by Russia's Novatek, France's Total and China’s CNPC (China National Petroleum Corporation).

Russia hopes the location of the plant will make it possible to diversify energy exports by shipping LNG to both European markets and Asia, via the northern route, which is the shortest passage between European Russia and the Pacific Ocean.

Plans for the implementation of Yamal LNG project date back to 10 years ago before Russia faced sanctions imposed by the US and EU, which claim that Moscow is behind the crisis in east Ukraine.

Despite the sanctions, Yamal project has not been affected yet as Total and CNPC still remain onboard with 20-percent stakes each.

Ukraine’s mainly Russian-speaking regions in the east have witnessed deadly clashes between pro-Russians and the Ukrainian army since Kiev launched military operations to silence the pro-Moscow forces in mid-April last year.

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