Gas claws of "Gazprom"

[HainanWel.com(e)!]

Everyone knows that to other people's insatiable wealth and neighboring lands Russia dreams of how to conquer and subjugate myself so small and helpless, but so proud and freedom-loving Europe. A treacherous Russian boyars, led by drinking the blood of babies for breakfast cruel dictator Vladimir Putin constantly coming up with new techniques and tools of enslavement of Europe. And of course, every child knows that one of the most dangerous tools of conquest of Europe is the Russian natural gas.
the tentacles of "Gazprom" gas filling entangle from all sides of Europe and poisonous gas claws dig into her defenseless body. The biggest dangers are the key countries of the EU: in recent years the export of Russian natural gas grew by 42.1% in Germany and Britain - at 170.2%, Italy - by 23.4%, in Poland - 58.1% , France - 22.8%, Austria - by 75.5%. And already it intends to reach out new poisonous tentacles into the heart of Europe - a gas pipeline "Nord Stream-2".
September 4, 2015, "Gazprom", BASF, E.ON, ENGIE, OMV and Shell have signed a shareholders' agreement to create a gas pipeline system "Nord Stream-2" capacity of 55 billion cubic meters. meters of gas per year from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea. The pipeline will pass next to the "tube", "Nord Stream-1" similar power leveling. The project implements the project, Nord Stream 2 AG. After closing the transaction on acquisition of foreign shareholders stake in Nord Stream AG 2 share in the project will be distributed as follows: "Gazprom" - 50%, BASF, ENGIE, OMV, Shell, Uniper (a 100% subsidiary of E.ON) - for 10%. "Nord Stream-2" will almost entirely replace the pumping of gas through the gas transportation system of Ukraine under its current load (a little more than 60 billion cubic meters. Meters of gas per year).
Construction of the pipeline will lead a consortium of major European energokorporatsy in which "Gazprom" will hold 51%, E.ON, Shell, OMV and BASF / Wintershall - 10% each, ENGIE - 9%. Consortium members have expressed full confidence that the pipeline "Nord Stream-2" will necessarily be built. According to the plan it must occur before the end of 2019. The head of one of the members of the consortium, the Austrian oil and gas group OMV, Rainer Seele said recently that the project has a high level of profitability and economic viability, and it will be invested about 10 billion euros.
Official support for the construction of the pipeline have also the power of Germany and some other countries in North and Central Europe who are interested in stable supplies of gas to bypass Ukraine. This, in particular, was discussed at a recent meeting of the head of "Gazprom" Alexey Miller and Vice-Chancellor of Austria Reinhold Mitterlehner. With the help of Russian gas to Austria intends to secure a leading position in the gas market in Central and South-Eastern Europe. The Alpine Republic is going to expand the underground gas storage "Hyde" - Austria's largest and second-largest in Central Europe. In 2015, the parties agreed on the possibility of increasing the volume of "Haidach" 150 million cubic meters. m (5%).
Against the construction of the pipeline "Nord Stream-2" are the European Commission, the USA, Ukraine, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Slovakia and the Baltic countries.
Directorate General of the European Commission on Energy insists that EU laws including the so-called Third Energy Package must be applied not only to the coastal part of the "Nord Stream-2", but also to the naval component, which falls within the territorial jurisdiction of Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany. According to the requirements of the Third Energy Company, which is engaged in mining of natural gas can not be the owner of the pipeline system located in the territory of the European Union. This company should transfer the management of the pipeline system of the company-operator of the EU, or sell the asset, with the participation of foreign persons in the control of operating companies specialized bureaucracy is reduced to zero. Thus separating the sale and transportation of natural gas European Commission is trying to increase its control over the gas market.
At the same time Politico newspaper referring to a memo of the legal service of the European Commission said:
"According to the conclusions of the European Commission Legal Service, referred to in an internal memo, the EU energy market rules do not apply to the project of the gas pipeline" Nord Stream-2 ". This conclusion can undermine all attempts to block the project."
Obviously, the conclusion of the European Commission Legal Service deals a serious blow to the positions of political opponents, "Nord Stream-2" in Washington and several European capitals, "claiming that Moscow's plans to extend the pipeline to Germany are harmful to Ukraine", - notes Politico.
In recent years, against the construction of a gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea were Southern European states, in particular, Italy. Their objections stem from the fact that at one time, Germany, with the support of officials from the European Commission and US officials opposed the construction of the gas pipeline "South Stream", which should pass under the Black Sea and further through Bulgaria, Serbia and Hungary to Austria and Italy. As a result, the German pressure, the European Commission and the US to Bulgaria project "South Stream" has not been implemented.
Surprisingly, however, it became clear that the "South Stream", which in the US and the EU, and many have already celebrated the requiem, was surprisingly tenacious, and another poisonous claw "Gazprom" once again wants to pierce the body with gentle Europe South.
In late February, the head of "Gazprom", the Italian company Edison SpA and Greek company DEPA SA signed a "Memorandum of Understanding on natural gas supplies from Russia under the Black Sea through third countries to Greece and from Greece to Italy." As reported in "Gazprom" press release, the purpose of the agreement is the organization of the southern route of Russian gas supplies to Europe. The press release also notes that the agreement reflects the interest of the parties in the route of gas supplies from Russia under the Black Sea through third countries to Greece and from Greece to Italy. For this purpose, the parties intend to use to the maximum extent of the work carried out by Edison and DEPA, the project ITGI Poseidon (gas pipeline project from Turkey Cerezyme Greece to Italy).
The Executive Director of the Italian Edison Mark Benayun noted that the potential of the new project supply route will enhance the reliability of gas supply to Italy, as well as strengthen its role as a major gas hub in southern Europe.
Leaders of the Greek DEPA believes that the revival of the ITGI Poseidon project strengthens the energy security of Europe, thanks to the emergence of additional supply chain and enhances the role of Greece as a major corridor for gas supplies from different sources and routes.
It is noteworthy that the signing of the agreement took place after the meeting of the head of "Gazprom" Alexey Miller, Minister of Economic Development of Italy Federica Guidi, which was held in Rome. And at the signing ceremony was also attended by the Greek Foreign Ministry Secretary General for International Economic Relations Giorgos Tsipras. This is a direct indication of the support of the memorandum from the governments of Italy and Greece.
Of course, then the question immediately arises: "In any such" third countries, "the signatories of the memorandum intended to supply gas from Russia across the Black country in Greece?"
Well, it's certainly not through Turkey. I think there is little doubt that the "Turkish Stream" lost a good long time in an unequal battle in the Syrian sky. But "the Bulgarian version of" re starting to take the very real features.
After the untimely death of "Turkish stream" Bulgarian Prime Minister Borisov began to actively promote the idea of ​​the project, which is informally referred to as "the Bulgarian flow", that is the revival of the "South Stream" on Russian gas terminal in Anapa on the Black Sea to the Bulgarian coast of the Black Sea. And particularly, in an interview with the German edition of Deutsche Welle on Jan. 5, 2016 Borisov spoke about the development of the hub with a capacity of at least 43 billion cubic meters. meters of gas per year. In this case, Bulgaria will become a transit country for Russian gas supplies to Greece. The gas goes through the pipe 787 km long route adapted project ITGI Poseidon pipeline through Greece to Italy. The final part of the pipeline length of 207 km will run across the Adriatic Sea from Thesprotia in Greece to Otranto in Italy.
Bulgarian Prime Minister also spoke about the fact that the gas pipeline through the territory of Bulgaria will be pumped gas not only from Russia but also from Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, as well as new fields in the Bulgarian and Romanian sector of the Black Sea. However, this list is something real is the only gas from Russia and Azerbaijan, despite the fact that the latter share is as insignificant (up to 2020 Azerbaijan is to supply to Bulgaria of 1 billion cubic meters. Meters of gas per year from its field "Shah Deniz-2" and the delivery is planned to be provided through a pipeline still under construction Tanap). Turkmenskpy same, and even more Bulgarian and Romanian gas - is still something very vague and almost illusory.
Taking into account the existence of the Third Energy Package, it should be noted that the construction of a new gas pipeline on Bulgarian territory will be carried out under the same conditions as the construction of "Nord Stream-2". That is the responsibility and the costs of "Gazprom" will come to an end at the edge of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Next, construction of the pipeline, as opposed to the "South Stream", will have to lead the European Union countries. Since the project will cost no less than 5 billion euros, the question arises, where the member countries will seek funding support for its implementation. And a concrete answer to this question is still there.
If a new version of the gas pipeline through the Balkans still be able to realize, "Gazprom" will be able to expand the supply of gas to Italy, bypassing Ukrainian territory and to reduce the "North Stream-2" with two branches to one. The main thing is that the construction of this pipeline will neutralize opposition to Italy "Nord Stream-2", as the project provides an opportunity to supply gas to southern Italy and support the efforts of Italy to become a major gas hub in southern Europe.
But that "Gazprom" is not enough - another poisonous tentacles he reached the very center of Europe. "Gazprom" develops and third line of gas supplies to Europe - via Belarus. "Gazprom" is the owner of the Belarusian gas pipeline "Yamal-Europe" and a length of 575.5 km until 2020 plans to invest $ 2.5 billion to the development of the gas transportation system, and $ 1.1 billion -.. An increase in underground gas storage facilities at the territory of Belarus.