Novak: Sea part of Turkish Stream is 85pct ready
By Abdul Kerimkhanov
The offshore part of the Turkish Stream pipeline is 85 percent ready, gas will start flowing at the end of 2019. This was announced to journalists by the Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation Alexander Novak.
"The total percentage of completion is 85 percent. This is only an underwater part. Therefore, we have no doubt that by the end of 2019 the whole project will be implemented: both sea and land parts. Gas will start flowing at the end of 2019," he said .
In addition, the minister added that another project of the pipeline along the seabed, Poseidon, is being discussed in parallel. The decision on it has not yet been made.
Gazprom began construction of the offshore section of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline in May 2017. The offshore section will run along the bottom of the Black Sea to the coast of Turkey. Its length is 930 km. Further, the land transit (second) line to the border of Turkey with neighboring countries with a length of 180 km will be laid.
The first string will be designed for the Turkish market, the second - for gas supply to the countries of Southern and Southeastern Europe. The capacity of each line is 15.75 billion cubic meters of gas per year. Proceed to the supply of gas is planned at the end of 2019.
At the end of May, Gazprom and the government of Turkey signed a protocol on the land section of the transit stream of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline to supply Russian gas to European consumers.
Gazprom’s deputy chairman of the board, Alexander Medvedev, said that the company would soon determine the route of the second line of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline for gas supply to countries in Southern and Southeastern Europe. He said two main options are being discussed in accordance with the procedures in the European Union and the European Commission. He named Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Hungary as potential markets.
Earlier, Gazprom’s head Alexei Miller informed that gas in the second line of the Turkish Stream in early 2020 could go through the gas transmission systems of Bulgaria, Serbia and Hungary.
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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva
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