MOSCOW, March 12 (UPI) -- Gazprom executives discussed in Moscow plans with Dutch energy company Gasunie to construct the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline to Germany.
Alexei Miller, the chief executive officer at Russian energy giant Gazprom, welcomed Gasunie President Marcel Kramer to Moscow to discuss pre-construction plans for Nord Stream.
Moscow aims to diversify its gas export options to Europe with Nord Stream, which will travel through the Baltic Sea to Germany.
"The parties considered the prospects for optimizing and expanding Gasunie's gas transmission system in order to raise the efficiency of Russian gas supplies to European consumers," said Gazprom.
Gazprom and Gasunie signed comprehensive agreements on Nord Stream in 2007. In 2008, Gasunie took a 9 percent stake in the Nord Stream consortium.
Gasunie has more than 9,000 miles of pipelines in its Dutch and German networks.
Finland earlier this year signed off on the final permits for Nord Stream construction, which is to begin in April.
Gazprom said Nord Stream is a "fundamentally new route" for gas exports to Europe.
