The new South Stream gas pipeline project was conceived as an alternative to natural gas supply routes from Russia to Europe. The development of a consolidated feasibility study for this project was completed recently - in the III quarter of 2011. It included the feasibility study for the offshore section of the pipeline and those sections that pass by land.
It was previously assumed that the South Stream gas pipeline would include two branches, one of which would be laid in northern Italy, and the second in Austria. But on May 28, 2012, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller announced a new version of the route, which now lacks a second branch. Gazprom's proposal is to complete the construction of the South Stream gas pipeline in northern Italy.
However, this option cannot yet be called final. In November 2012, it is planned to make an investment decision on this project, with which the final configuration of the gas pipeline under construction will be determined.
The South Stream gas pipeline will start at Anapa, off the Russian Black Sea coast. It is planned that the offshore section of the pipe will pass through the Russian and Turkish parts of the economic zones of the Black Sea. The gas pipeline’s exit is planned in the area of the Bulgarian city of Varna, and then its route through the territory of this country will go to Serbia, Hungary and Slovenia to the village of Travisio, located in northern Italy.
It is planned to build branches from the main branch of the gas pipeline through which gas will be supplied to Greece, Croatia and the Republika Srpska, which is part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the development of the project, several options for laying the South Stream were considered: through Russia and Bulgaria to Serbia-Hungary-Austria, Serbia-Hungary-Slovenia or Greece-Italy. An option was also proposed that took into account all three routes.
The last obstacle to the gas pipeline was obtaining the consent of the Turkish side to lay a pipe in its economic zone of the Black Sea. It was received at the end of December 2011. The Russian government instructed Gazprom in 2012 to begin construction of the South Stream in Russia. It is planned to complete the construction of the main highway in 2016.
