Losses from South stream stops at the rate of $ 5 billion is not stopped by Russia of wanting to deprive Ukraine status main transitor in Europe
The first of December, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the closure of the South Stream project. Instead, the head of the RUSSIAN FEDERATION announced the launch of a new-construction of a gas pipeline to Turkey with a capacity of 63 billion cubic meters a year. On the same day, the gas companies of both countries, Gazprom and Botas signed a memorandum of understanding. The new pipe will serve as an alternative to South stream. But the goal is the same-Turkish project to deprive Ukraine status main transitor in Europe.
LigaBusinessInform reviewed what the threat carries new project Ukraine Putin.
The beginning of the
A month before the signing of the memorandum on the construction of a new gas pipeline, Gazprom has applied its old tactics and reduced gas supplies to Turkey by nearly 40%. During November the Turkish consumers received an average of 15 million cubic meters of Russian gas per day less than required by the contract. At the request of Turkey to bring supplies to the dogovorennomu level of Gazprom does not respond.
On the first day of winter, December, Gazprom and Botas signed a memorandum, as Russian gas supplies resumed in full. Moreover, Turkey will receive a 6% discount on gas from Gazprom.
The new pipeline, according to the project, will be laid under the Black Sea in parallel to the existing Blue stream (capacity of 16 billion cubic meters per year) and brought to the borders of Greece. Further Gazprom pull tube does not plan to. Instead, the Russians want to create gas hub (virtual point of sale of gas).
The proposed power of the Turkish pipeline-63 billion cubic meters (equivalent to power South Stream). From this amount of 14 billion is for Turkey, the remaining volumes will be delivered to the border with Greece. "And all who are interested in getting out of there ènergoersursov, will be able to come there and buy there," Putin said after signing the memorandum. The truth in this case, European companies will have to build gas pipelines to a new point of sale of gas.
Construction of a gas pipeline to Turkey in theory depriving Gazprom the main problem-need to be divided half of the capacity of the pipeline with other providers, as the EU was added when you implement the South stream.
It is the unwillingness to abide by the rules of the third ènergopaketa the EU gave legal grounds to suspend South stream. That this project will not be implemented because of the aggression of Russia against Ukraine, European officials have spoken only informally.
"Gazprom has invested in nearly 5 billion South stream," recalls the Director Leonid Neftegazstrojinformatiki Unigovskij. And shareholders of monopoly as you need to explain that the money had not been spent just so. "
Ukraine
For Ukraine the next "Workaround" Gazprom project theoretically means a reduction of gas transit. If Russia and Turkey will bring the project to the end, Ukrainian transits may at least lose 13 billion cubic meters. It is such a volume of Gazprom supplies to Turkey via Ukraine. True, the same forecasts sounded when the year 2007 were signed the first documents on South stream.
"From an economic standpoint, it is more profitable for Gazprom to supply gas through Ukraine-is the shortest way, Unigovskij said. -But when it comes to Ukraine Gazprom political logic prevails over the economic. "
New megaproject Gazprom in addition to Ukrainian perspective, intended to create competition Transanatolijskomu gas pipeline (TANAP-TAP), under which EU countries expect to already in the year 2019 to get gas from the Caspian region, bypassing Russia.
But Gazprom Bodo seriously impede the realization of this project. The TANAP-TAP is a priority in one voice declare, as representatives of the EU and Turkey.
"We will review and evaluate the proposal Vladimir Putin on a new gas pipeline through Turkey," said Turkish Foreign Minister Movlud Cavusoglu. -But a priority for Turkey is a project of TANAP. Signed the memorandum involves discussions, after which Turkey would give its response. " Now the EU try to actively involve in TANAP except Azerbaijan, another major producer of strip-Turkmenistan.
"In my opinion, the hype around the Russian-Turkish agreements stems from the fact that remained undeveloped very large sums of money for the construction of the overland gas pipelines in Russia, recognized under the South stream," said the head of the East European Gas Analysis Mikhail Korchemkin. Their cost is 18.5 billion euros. And while the smaller part of these funds was mastered.
