Gazprom to build TurkStream's 2nd land section in 2019

By E. Gurkan Abay and Murat Temizer

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian energy giant Gazprom is planning to start the construction of the overland section of the TurkStream second gas pipeline in 2019, Gazprom’s deputy chairman announced Thursday.

Alexander Medvedev, speaking to the Gazprom corporate magazine, said the company aims to transfer a record volume of 200 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas by the end of this year, up from the 148.2 bcm exported in the first nine months of 2018.

"The construction of the offshore section of the second transit line of TurkStream is in full swing. Completion of the deepwater laying will be completed soon," Medvedev said.

"Next year, we also plan to begin construction of the land section of the transit line in Turkey. Currently, Gazprom is negotiating with the Turkish company BOTAS. TurkStream is scheduled to go into operation in December 2019," he added.

The TurkStream project is an export gas pipeline, which will not only span across the Black Sea from Russia to Turkey but will further extend to Turkey's borders with neighboring countries.

TurkStream's first line will carry 15.75 bcm of natural gas to Turkey. The project will have a capacity of 31.5 bcm with the second line that will go to Europe.