Ankara allows Gazprom to carry out survey in the Black Sea
The project of construction of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline is gradually shifted from the dead point: Turkey issued permission to Gazprom for engineering research in the Black Sea. This will allow the Russian company to construct the pipe in the waters of Turkey in the future, although there are still no any formal agreements on the project. The turning point for the Turkish Stream project should become an intergovernmental agreement, but there is still no clarity on the date of its signing.
Yesterday Gazprom reported that Turkey had gave permission for the engineering survey on the sea section of Turkish Stream in the Black Sea. Now the monopoly will be able to begin the research on the first line of the pipeline in the exclusive economic zone and territorial waters of Turkey. Also the Interfax reported yesterday that the pipe-laying vessel Saipem 7000, with which Gazprom signed a contract for the construction of the offshore section of the gas pipeline, after the semi-year parking in Bulgarian Burgas went out to sea. However, another contractor - Castoro Sei - is still in the port.