Oil and Gas Pipeline Watch

Sweden asks for more info on Nord Stream

The government of Sweden has requested additional information regarding the construction of the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline through the Baltic Sea.

Nord Stream AG, the consortium representing parties to the pipeline, said it has received positive responses from Swedish authorities, notably its coast guard, but other parties have requested additional information, the organization said in a press statement.

"Nord Stream will carefully consider each question and will then provide further information," the consortium said. "It also looks forward with confidence to a continued dialogue in the spring with the general public, both in Sweden and in other countries around the Baltic Sea."

Negotiations with the Swedish government reached a high point last month when Paul Corcoran, financial director of Nord Stream AG, said negotiations with Stockholm were close to conclusion. Talks between Nord Stream and the governments of Finland, Germany, Denmark and Russia are scheduled for later in December.

Nord Stream is designed to bring natural gas from Russia to Germany through dual pipelines along the Black Sea. Aside from environmental concerns, the Black Sea floor is strewn with munitions left over from the two world wars.

Nord Stream AG said it has conducted $126 million worth of environmental impact studies on the project to find ways to mitigate environmental damage.

The consortium said it would continue dialogue with interested parties, including Swedish fishermen, in order to move forward with plans to begin construction in 2010.

Serbia, Russia could move on South Stream

Alexei Miller, head of Russian gas monopoly Gazprom, may sign a joint deal Friday with Serbia to move forward with the South Stream natural gas pipeline.

Miller will head a delegation of officials to Serbia to sign a joint deal on oil and gas projects at the end of the week. The deal includes arrangements for oil giant Gazprom Neft to acquire a majority stake in the Serbian state-owned oil operator Petroleum Industry of Serbia, the Focus News Agency said.

Also scheduled is the signing of a memorandum for the construction of a portion of the South Stream to Italy through Serbian territory.

Greek officials said the plans for the South Stream gas pipeline have turned their Mediterranean country into a regional transit center to Europe.

Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis made those comments on the sidelines of a visit to regional gas installations. The Greek premier said there are also plans to upgrade local gas networks to meet rising energy demands.

Nabucco part of bilateral gas accord

The governments of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan agreed to a comprehensive strategy to diversify regional energy routes, paving the way to the Nabucco pipeline.

The European Union and the United States are pushing for the development of the Nabucco natural gas pipeline from the Caspian region through Turkey to Europe. The pipeline is seen as a key part of plans to ease Europe's dependence on Russian natural resources.

The presidents of Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan at a meeting in the oil-rich city of Turkmenbashi agreed on a shared diversification plan.

"Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan are rich in hydrocarbon resources and share a common view about diversifying energy export routes to the world market," said Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the president of Turkmenistan.

His sentiments follow earlier statements from the Azeri government saying Ashgabat would be able to utilize regional transit corridors. The Azeri energy minister, Natig Aliyev, said on the sidelines of a meeting in Vienna that his country was eager to move forward with Nabucco plans.

"In the first stage of the (Nabucco) project, the Azerbaijani gas will become a significant source so that other sources could join (later)," he said.

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(e-mail: energy@upi.com)