MOSCOW, April 6 (UPI) -- Russian gas monopoly Gazprom and its German counterparts at E.ON said natural gas demand in the European community is expected to increase.
Gazprom chief Alexei Miller hosted Johannes Teyssen, the chairman of the board of directors at E.ON, to discuss cooperation in the European gas market.
Both leaders said their bilateral focus should in part tackle the expected rise in European natural gas demand.
"A unanimous opinion was expressed that Europe's demand for Russian gas supplies would steadily increase in the future," the Russian company said in a statement.
Though Gazprom didn't release figures, the economic recovery in global financial markets is prompting a rise in energy demand.
E.ON and Gazprom are partners in the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline consortium. Russia aims to diversify its European transit options through Nord Stream. The dual pipeline will run through the Baltic Sea to Germany.
Construction on the Nord Stream pipeline started in April 2010 and it will pass through economic zones in Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany. E.ON and Gazprom expect to launch the first branch of Nord Stream in October.
