1240-kilometer trans-Black sea gas pipeline Russia - Turkey known as the "the Blue stream" project, is put into operation. The gas pipeline has started operation on the eve of December 29. Its capacity is designed for annual delivery to Turkey of 16 billion cubic meters of Russian gas. According to technological forecasts, GAZPROM will reach this level in 2-3 years.
The vice-president of GAZPROM?s board, Yuri Komarov, has declared, that this year the company is going to increase export of gas from about 130 billion up to 134 billion cubic meters due to "the Blue stream" project.
The first Russian gas has arrived to Turkey December 30. Gas was delivered to the terminal in the Turkish seaport Samsun of the Botash companies.
On the eve the delegation of GAZPROM has arrived there. The chief of the Department on transportation, underground storage and use of gas, Bogdan Budzuliak, headed the delegation of GAZPROM. Its structure also included the chief of the Central dispatchers-industrial management of GAZPROM, Boris Posiagin, the assistant to the general director of "Gasexport", Sergey Emelianov, the general director of "KubanjGazprom", Yuri Basarygin, the general director of "Orgenergogaz", Vladimir Usoshin.
The Turkish party was represented by the governor of the Samsun province, Muhammer Guler, the mayor of the city of Samsun, Yusuf Dija Ilmaz, the chief of the Department for transportation of gas of the Botash Redzhen Arslantai company, the head of the Department for capital investments and capital construction of the Botash Levent Ishykylar company.
It is supposed, that in 2003 6 billion cubic meters of gas will be delivered to Turkey, has declared Yuri Basarygin, the head of Open Company "KubanjGazprom", which is the general customer of the project.
The governor of the Samsun province, Muhammer Guler, making a speech on the opening ceremony of the station, has noted, that "the Blue stream" became a working gas pipeline and is ready to swapping the Russian natural fuel to Turkey. "To enter the gas pipeline into operation, - has declared Guler, - there are no more obstacles of unsolved technical problems. Everything goes strictly according to the signed contract".
Russia and Turkey have concluded the contract on construction of "the Blue stream" gas pipeline December 15, 1997. Its total length is 1,2 thousand kms, 376 kms of pipes with thickness of 31 mm are laid in the bottom of the Black sea on the depth of more than 2 thousand meters. The project cost of the gas pipeline is $3,4 billion. 21 billion rubles were already spent on its construction. The gas pipeline Russia - Turkey is the biggest investment project for the last decade, carried out by Gazprom. It is planned, that Russia will deliver gas to Turkey, as a minimum, for 25 years.
The parties have signed the report on entering into operation of "the Blue stream" pipeline. Thus, the unique system of "the Blue stream" pipeline from the city Izobilnoe (Russia) to Ankara (Turkey) has started working.
Author: Sergei Zanin
