Turkey and Russia have launched TurkStream pipeline carrying gas to Europe. Credit: ©Petrofac Limited.

Russian firm Gazprom has announced the launch of the TurkStream gas pipeline, which carries Russian natural gas to southern Europe through Turkey.

The launch is part of Moscow’s efforts to reduce shipments through Ukraine.

The TurkStream gas pipeline comprises an export gas pipeline across the Black Sea between Russia and Turkey, with an extension to the Turkish border. It has an annual throughput capacity of 31.5 billion cubic metres (bcm).

Gazprom noted that the first pipeline will supply gas to Turkey and the second pipeline is intended to southern and southeastern Europe via Turkish territory.

TurkStream is the first 813mm-diameter pipeline laid at depths exceeding 2,200km.

According to Gazprom, the initial point for feeding gas into TurkStream is the Russkaya compressor station, which is part of Russia’s Unified Gas Supply System.

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Gazprom management committee chairman Alexey Miller said: “The launch of TurkStream is a history-making event. Firstly, taking into account exports via Blue Stream, we have paved the way for direct transit-free supplies to fully meet Turkey’s needs for Gazprom’s gas. Secondly, Europe now has a new and reliable route to receive Russian pipeline gas.

“There is no doubt that, thanks to all of this, our cooperation with our Turkish and European partners is shifting to a new level and is going to help improve energy security in the region.”

Last month, Petrofac completed an engineering, procurement and construction fast-track contract awarded by South Stream Transport, towards the development of the project’s gas receiving terminal near Kıyıköy on the Turkish Black Sea coast.

Petrofac said in a statement: “From the receiving terminal, one of the two underground onshore pipelines will connect to the existing Turkish gas network at Luleburgaz.”

In December 2016, South Stream Transport signed a contract with Allseas Group to lay the first string of the offshore section of the gas pipeline.