EnglishRussian energy giant Gazprom has begun work Nord Stream gas pipeline, which will carry natural gas from Russia to Europe, beneath the Baltic Sea, company officials announced.
The gas pipeline will have a throughput of 55 billion cubic meters a year to countries in Western Europe, and will avoid going through the traditional routes which crossed Ukraine and Belarus. The pipeline will consist of two pipes, each with a capacity of 27.5 billion cubic meters a year.
In March, the operator of the gas pipeline, "Nord Stream" AG, announced it had secured 3.9 billion Euros in funding for the project, which covered 70% of the funding needed for the first stage.
The remaining expenses would be borne by the shareholders of Nord Stream, namely "Gazprom" (51%), German groups BASF/"Winterhshall" and "E.ON Ruhrgas" (each owning 20% of the project) and the Dutch energy company "Gasunie" NV (9%).
The first gas deliveries using the pipeline are scheduled for 2011.
The official ceremony for the inauguration of the work on the Nord Stream gas pipeline would be held in Russia, on April 9th.
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