Arctic LNG 2 Construction Yard Helipad

The helipad's activity was directly tied to the Arctic LNG 2 project's construction phase at the Kola Shipyard (also known as the Center for the Construction of Large-Capacity Offshore Structures - CSLCS). The 'closure' or cessation of regular operations is due to the completion of the primary construction phase for the project's first gravity-based structure (GBS) and a significant slowdown of work on subsequent structures. This slowdown was heavily exacerbated by international sanctions imposed on the project and its operator, Novatek, following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions led to the withdrawal of key international partners, technology, and personnel, drastically reducing the logistical need for the helipad.

The physical helipad structure remains in place within the CSLCS industrial complex in Belokamelka, as visible on satellite imagery. However, it is considered inactive or non-operational for its original intended purpose. The surrounding construction yard is operating at a severely reduced capacity, with work on the second and third LNG production lines reportedly stalled due to the impact of international sanctions. The site is currently a partially idle, large-scale industrial construction yard.

The helipad was not a public airport but a critical piece of private infrastructure for one of Russia's most ambitious energy projects. Its primary function was to support the construction of massive gravity-based structures for the Arctic LNG 2 liquefaction plant. It handled the rapid transport of high-priority personnel—including engineers, project managers, executives, and specialized technicians—as well as urgent, lightweight cargo between the remote Belokamelka construction yard and regional hubs like Murmansk. The helipad was integral to the logistics of this multi-billion dollar, technologically complex project, ensuring key personnel could bypass ground transport for time-sensitive operations at the massive CSLCS facility.

There are no official plans or announced prospects for reopening or reactivating the helipad. Its future is entirely contingent on the future of the Arctic LNG 2 project. If Novatek manages to overcome the significant hurdles posed by sanctions—for instance, by developing domestic technologies or securing new international partnerships—and resumes full-scale construction on the remaining production lines, the helipad would likely be brought back into service to support the renewed construction activity. However, given the current geopolitical climate and the comprehensive nature of the sanctions, the prospect of a full project resumption, and thus the helipad's reactivation, remains highly uncertain and unlikely in the near term.