MOSCOW, Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Work for a natural gas transmission system in northwest Russia that will ultimately feed the Nord Stream pipeline is on schedule, Gazprom announced.
Gazprom officials met to discuss progress in the design and construction of the Ukhta-Torzhok, Pochinki-Gryazovets, and Gryazovets-Vyborg gas pipelines in the northwest of the country. Engineers also examined the progress of expanding the Gryazovets gas transmission hub, Gazprom said.
The work is under way to make sure the pipelines can operate at nominal capacity. The networks are intended for Russia's Unified Gas Supply System that will eventually connect to the Nord Stream gas pipeline.
"The meeting participants noted that all construction activities related to the said gas pipelines were progressing on schedule," the Russian gas company said.
Gazprom is leading the project consortium building the dual natural gas pipeline through the Baltic Sea to Germany. The project is meant to diversify Gazprom's export options as about 80 percent of Russian gas for Europe travels through Ukraine currently.
The consortium recently announced that it completed two of the three sections of the first line of the natural gas pipeline.
The cost of the pipeline is around $10 billion. Both lines should be completed by 2012.
