Russian gas monopoly Gazprom said on June 23 that it started laying
the Turkish Stream gas pipeline in the deep-water area off the coast of
Anapa.
According to Gazprom, Russian President
Vladimir Putin gave the command to launch the operations during his visit to the Pioneering Spirit pipe-laying vessel.
Putin and Gazprom CEO
Alexey Miller explored the
machinery and equipment of the vessel, including its gas pipeline
construction facility used for welding and applying protective coatings
to pipes.
“Pioneering Spirit, the world’s largest construction vessel, will
have an important task to solve, namely to build the deep-water section
of the TurkStream gas pipeline,” Miller said, adding that this is a new
direct and reliable route for Russian gas supplies to Turkey and further
to southern and southeastern Europe.
However, experts say that while the first pipeline to Turkey will be
built, the second pipeline that would most likely deliver gas to the
Turkish-Greek border and onto southern Europe remains uncertain and
depends on its compliance with EU law.
For Turkey natural gas is the key energy source accounting for 38% in
the country’s electricity generation and used for heating and cooking
in upward of 12 million households, Miller said, arguing that Turkish
Stream would substantially increase energy security in the region.
“Natural gas is of equal importance to southern and southeastern
Europe. The declining indigenous gas production and the necessity to
reduce coal’s share in electricity generation across the Balkan
countries create the potential for sustainable growth in natural gas
demand in that part of Europe,” Miller said.
https://www.neweurope.eu/article/turkish-stream-deep-water-pipe-laying-starts/