Gazprom wants to speed up South Stream

Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov says that this Russian oil and gas giant believes it is necessary to speed up the work on the South Stream pipeline project. "We are activating work on the South Stream," he said, and specified that this means accelerated preparations for the technical and economic parts of the projects, rather than the deadlines for the project itself. Gazprom wants to speed up South Stream Kupriyanov also revealed that Gazprom executives held a working meeting with their Italian partners Eni. The South Stream is a natural gas pipeline that would take Russian gas to Europe circumventing Ukraine. It is planned to run along the bottom of the Black Sea to Bulgaria, and via the Balkans to Italy and Austria. An energy agreement that Serbia and Russia signed late last year will see the pipeline pass through Serbia as well. Earlier this week, RIA Novosti reported that as Gazprom and Eni chief executives met, they issued a statement reading, "The sides noted that in these conditions the issue of diversifying export gas routes, in particular the fulfillment of the South Stream project, that would link Russia directly with Europe and strengthen the energy security of the continent, is very topical". Russia is currently building the Nord Stream pipeline, a joint project with Germany to pump gas from Siberia to Europe under the Baltic Sea, and the South Stream pipe which will bring gas to the Balkans and on to Europe. The first deliveries along the South Stream pipeline are scheduled to start in 2013. The project, expected to annually pump 30 billion cubic meters of Central Asian and Russian gas to the Balkans and on to other European countries, involves Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Italy and Greece.

Gazprom wants to speed up South Stream

Kupriyanov also revealed that Gazprom executives held a working meeting with their Italian partners Eni.

The South Stream is a natural gas pipeline that would take Russian gas to Europe circumventing Ukraine. It is planned to run along the bottom of the Black Sea to Bulgaria, and via the Balkans to Italy and Austria.

An energy agreement that Serbia and Russia signed late last year will see the pipeline pass through Serbia as well.

Earlier this week, RIA Novosti reported that as Gazprom and Eni chief executives met, they issued a statement reading, "The sides noted that in these conditions the issue of diversifying export gas routes, in particular the fulfillment of the South Stream project, that would link Russia directly with Europe and strengthen the energy security of the continent, is very topical".

Russia is currently building the Nord Stream pipeline, a joint project with Germany to pump gas from Siberia to Europe under the Baltic Sea, and the South Stream pipe which will bring gas to the Balkans and on to Europe.

The first deliveries along the South Stream pipeline are scheduled to start in 2013. The project, expected to annually pump 30 billion cubic meters of Central Asian and Russian gas to the Balkans and on to other European countries, involves Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Italy and Greece.