The Irkutsk Region Gas Industry: Development Trends and Role within the Eastern Dimension of Russia’s Energy Strategy

The reorientation of natural gas export routes toward the East, the advantageous geographical location, and the substantial resource potential of the Irkutsk Region underscore the critical importance of defining priority areas for development of the regional gas industry and its role in the Eastern energy strategy of Russia over the coming decades. The driving and constraining factors that shape the evolution of the gas industry in the Irkutsk Region are analyzed. The study identifies long-term priority development areas, formulates an aggregated forecast natural gas balance for the Irkutsk Gas Production Center, and assesses a qualitative risk. Based on the natural gas balance, which reflects the resource base, regional specificities, and the eastward shift of Russian gas exports, the study evaluates the significance of the Irkutsk Region gas industry within the Eastern dimension of Russia’s energy strategy