White Stream

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White Stream (also known as the Georgia-Ukraine-EU gas pipeline) is a proposed pipeline project to transport natural gas from the Caspian region to Ukraine and further to Poland.

Contents

[edit] History

For the first time the White Stream idea was presented by Ukrainian officials in 2005. In 2006-2007, the project was discussed at different international conferences. In May 2007, it was presented at the Vienna gas forum, and on 11 October 2007, it was presented during the summit-level Energy Security Conference in Vilnius.[1] On 28 January 2008, Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko asked the European Union to consider participating in White Stream project.[2] Turkmenistan, which is supposed to be the main source of natural gas for White Stream, expressed his surprise by the statement of Tymoshenko because no negotiations have been held so far with Turkmenistan.[3]

[edit] Route

The pipeline would branch off from the South Caucasus Pipeline near Tbilisi and run for approximately 100 kilometres (60 mi) via Georgia to Supsa at the Black Sea. From there a 650 kilometres (400 mi) long offshore section on the seabed of the Black Sea will continue to Crimea near Feodosia in Ukraine. The offshore section will be linked to Ukraine's transit system by 200 kilometres (120 mi) long onshore section. The alternative plan proposes to prolong the offshore pipeline to Romania.[4]

[edit] Technical features

At the first stage the initial capacity of pipeline will be 8 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas annually. At this stage the pipeline would be supplied from the Shah Deniz gas field from the Azerbaijan's Caspian offshore sector. Later it could be possible to connect White Stream with planned Trans-Caspian Gas Pipelines. In this case the second leg of pipeline will be laid at the seabed and the total capacity of pipeline will increase to 24-32 bcm of gas annually.[4]

The diameter of Georgian section will be 42 inches (1,067 mm) for the onshore section and 24 inches (610 mm) for the offshore section.[5] In Crimea most likely existing 20 inches (508 mm) diameter pipeline will be used.[4]

[edit] Project company

The project is promoted by a London-based GUEU – White Stream Pipeline Company, led by Pipeline Systems Engineering (PSE) and Radon-Ishizumi consulting and engineering companies.[4][5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ A. Gasimova. "White Stream Gas Pipeline Double Profitable for Azerbaijan – Ukraine’s President", Trend Capital, 2008-05-30. Retrieved on 2008-06-01. 
  2. ^ Kostis Geropoulos. "Tymoshenko puts new White Stream pipeline on EU table", New Europe, 2008-02-05. Retrieved on 2008-06-01. 
  3. ^ "Туркменистан удивлен газопроводными замыслами Тимошенко (Turkmenistan is surprised by the gas pipeline idea of Tymoshenko)", Korrespondent.net, 2008-01-31. Retrieved on 2008-06-01. (Russian) 
  4. ^ a b c d Vladimir Socor. "Trans-Black Sea pipeline can bring Caspian gas to Europe", Eurasia Daily Monitor, 2006-12-07. Retrieved on 2008-06-01. 
  5. ^ a b Vladimir Socor. "White Stream: additional outlet proposed for Caspian gas to Europe", Eurasia Daily Monitor, 2007-10-12. Retrieved on 2008-06-01. 
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