MOSCOW, Sept. 30 (UPI) -- Since surveys for the Baltic Sea Nord Stream gas pipeline began, 94 percent of the route is clear of chemical and conventional ordnance, a report says.
A survey report by the Nord Stream consortium, released Tuesday, says the dual 50-foot construction corridors traverse areas that are clear of munitions deposited in the Black Sea during the first and second world wars.
"Surveying the pipeline route is one of Nord Stream's major preparatory tasks, and construction will not begin until it is entirely confident about the chosen route," the release said.
Nord Stream said it can proceed with reasonable confidence along the proposed route from Russia along the Black Sea bed to Germany, but additional surveys were required to verify that assessment.
"Based on the results of these detailed surveys, it is confident that munitions do not present a significant obstacle to the construction and safe operation of the pipeline," the pipeline consortium said.
Furthermore, the most recent surveys conclude that 94 percent of the route does not run through munitions dump sites on the sea bed.
The consortium Nord Stream AG is owned by Russian energy giant Gazprom, the German Wintershall and E.ON and the Dutch Nederlandse Gasunie.
