Russia says TurkStream gas pipeline construction could be delayed – Ifax

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Wednesday there was a risk construction of an underwater pipeline to Turkey could be delayed if a related intergovernmental agreement was not signed soon, the Interfax news agency reported.

The proposed TurkStream project would see pipes laid beneath the Black Sea to carry 15.75 billion cubic metres of gas (bcm) to Turkey every year and operations had initially been due to start in 2017.

The source said the decision on the phased implementation of the project was made at the head-of-state level in Russian Federation and Turkey. “Russia is ready for a phased implementation of the project”, the source said.

Thus, the parties are now negotiating the documents on the first line of the Turkish stream, which will supply Russian gas exclusively for the needs of the country.

This comes after reports that Moscow has sent a draft intergovernmental agreement to Ankara on the construction of a pipeline set to replace the abandoned South Stream project.

The pipeline is a substitute for the South Stream project, which Moscow canceled in December 2014, over non-constructive diplomatic and regulatory actions by the European Union.

Turkish Stream will have a maximum capacity of about 63 bcm, or roughly the same as the planned capacity for South Stream.