Blue Stream is to be expanded but not so much previously as planned

Gazprom will expand the Blue Stream gas pipeline to Turkey not by 3 billion cubic meters, as planned, but only by 1 billion cubic meters. According to the Energy Minister Alexander Novak, it is motivated by the technical capabilities of the pipe. But, according to the Kommersant’s information, they could refuse from the expansion of Blue Stream because of the problems with the negotiations on the Turkish Stream project, as well as due to the fact that Moscow and Ankara didn’t agree on the commercial terms of the gas supplies.

On Friday, the Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak reported that Gazprom worked out the expansion of capacity of the Blue Stream gas pipeline to 17 billion cubic meters on the whole, although the monopoly previously announced the increase to 19 billion cubic meters. According to him, "technical issues are worked out", there is an application from Turkey. "Initially it was for 3 billion cubic meters, but then we agreed that at most 1 billion cubic meters can be additionally pumped," - the official said. According to him, the decision is justified by the technical capabilities of the pipe. Gazprom didn’t comment on the situation.