North Stream-2 gas project participants may expand in the near future, Gazprom's Alexei Miller says
In the nearest future the participants of the North Stream-2 gas project may expand, the head of Gazprom Alexey Miller said, adding that the French multinational ENGIE group is interested in participating in this project, the state-owned energy company said in a press release.
Miller said ENGIE Group is ready to start negotiations on a legally binding instruments.
"We are confident that Engie joining the project will make it truly pan-European and will serve as yet another testament to reliable mutually beneficial partnership in the energy sector,” Gazprom head said.
ENGIE is the new name of the GDF SUEZ, formed through the merger of Gas de France and SUEZ.
Nord Stream is an export gas pipeline running under the Baltic Sea to Germany. The two-string gas pipeline stretches 1,224 kilometers and has the capacity of 55 billion cbm. The Nord Stream project is implemented by Nord Stream joint venture (with Gazprom holding a 51-percent stake, Wintershall Holding and E.ON Ruhrgas – 15.5% each, Gasunie and GDF Suez – 9% each). On June 18, 2015 Gazprom, E.ON, Shell and OMV signed a Memorandum of Understanding providing for the joint construction of two lines of gas pipeline “Nord Stream-2” with total capacity of 55 billion cbm of gas annually from the coast of Russia through the Baltic Sea to the German coast.