Gazprom and Eni To Build Gas Pipeline Bypassing Ukraine and Turkey

Gazprom and Eni announced their plans to build South Stream – a gas pipeline from the Russian part of the Black Sea coast to Varna (Bulgaria). The length of the underwater section of the pipeline will be around 900 km. The pipeline is planned to transport Russian and Central Asian gas to Central and/or Eastern Europe. Construction will commence in 2008-2009. Vladimir Nesterenko: The South Stream pipeline is a significant threat to the competing NABUCCO pipeline and Ukraine’s five alternative paths for getting Asian gas to the country, as those assumed transportation through the Black Sea. If the pipeline is constructed, Black Sea floor will be totally controlled by Russia, as it would control two pipelines crossing each other: Blue Stream (North-South) and South Stream (East-West).