New Delhi: Russian gas producer Novatek plans to double capital expenditure in 2019 to 185 billion roubles ($2.8 billion) on new fields, port facilities and other projects, executives said on Thursday.

Novatek, Russia's largest natural gas producer not owned by the state, launched its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) producing plant Yamal LNG in December 2017, which has given it a 5 percent share of the global LNG market.

The company, controlled by CEO Leonid Mikhelson and businessman Gennady Timchenko, a friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin, plans to build its second LNG plant, Arctic LNG-2, which it aims to start up in 2022 or 2023.

Mikhelson told a conference call the final investment decision for Arctic LNG-2, in which France's Total has a 10 percent stake, was expected in the second half of 2019.

Novatek has been in talks with other potential partners in Arctic LNG-2, including companies from China, Japan and South Korea. Mikhelson declined to name the potential investors.

Mikhelson said the spending being planned for 2019 would include investment in the Severo-Russky block of gas fields and wharfs for the port of Murmansk.

($1 = 65.5100 roubles)