Pipeliners

07-20-2005 IntelliNews Today - Russian president Putin declared Russia could construct new trunk of "Blue Stream" gas pipeline to Turkey. The construction cost is estimated at USD 1-1.5bn. However, the analysts are somewhat surprised with that declaration. Presently, about 4.7bn cubic meters of gas per year is transported via the "Blue Stream" pipeline. Its maximum capacity is more than three times larger and amounts to 16bn cubic meters per year. The potential decision would be a simple waste of investment means, as Turkey doesn't plan to substantially increase its gas imports from Russia . The gas could be transited via Turkey to Southern Europe or Balkan States, but that will require additional investments in infrastructure not only in Turkey, making the whole project economically questionable.