Russian firm gives Turkish Stream gas pipeline details

At the Turkish Stream exhibition stand, the forum guests have been offered detailed information about the project and its significance for European energy security, said Russian energy giant Gazprom, which has undertaken the project, in a press release. 

“Visitors will see the models of pipe-laying vessels, learn about the offshore gas pipeline construction techniques, as well as about the advantages of using natural gas for successful economic development and environmental conservation,” it said. 

On Dec. 1, 2014, Gazprom and Turkish Botaş signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the construction of an offshore gas pipeline with an annual capacity of 63 billion cubic meters (bcm) across the Black Sea towards Turkey. 

The new gas pipeline will run across the Black Sea from the Russkaya CS near Anapa to Kiyikoy village in the European part of Turkey and further via Lüleburgaz to İpsala on the border between Turkey and Greece. 
The offshore gas pipeline will consist of four lines with a capacity of 15.75 bcm each. 

All the gas from the first line will be moved solely to the Turkish market.

Gazprom will construct the offshore gas pipeline involving its 100 percent subsidized South Stream Transport registered in the Netherlands. 

South Stream Transport was focused on preparations for the South Stream gas pipeline construction, which was cancelled in December 2014. 

The greater part of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline will be laid within the corridor formerly intended for the South Stream. In May 2015, Italian Saipem was tasked with constructing the first offshore gas pipeline using the pipes manufactured for the South Stream project.

The International Gas Union holds the World Gas Conference triennially. It is a forum for discussing a wide range of issues related to gas industry development, including gas transmission, storage, distribution and consumption, as well as the environmental impact of power generation.

Russia has been facing problems in gas sales to Europe due to its political problems with its neighbor, Ukraine.

Turkey, which has been buying more than half of its natural gas from Russia, is carrying out a separate plan, the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline Project (TANAP), to carry Azerbaijan’s Caspian gas to the country in a bid to diversify its supply. 

The initial capacity of TANAP is expected to be 16 bcm of gas per year, gradually increasing to 31 bcm.