The Czech Republic’s Gazelle natural gas pipeline has been opened. The pipeline connects to the Nord Stream pipeline, and will provide an alternate route for Russian gas imports to the EU.
>Prime Minister Petr Necas opened the 10 billion koruna (US$ 519 million) Gazelle project recently.
Built by pipeline operator Net4GaS, the 166 km (103 mile) Gazelle pipeline is connected to Nord Stream, a twin pipeline system with the capacity to carry 55 billion m3/yr of natural gas from Russia across the Baltic Sea to the energy markets in the EU.
Through the Czech Republic, the gas will flow on to southern Germany and France.
The EU has been seeking new ways to secure energy supplies since Russian gas transported through Ukrainian pipelines were cut off in January 2009 due to a dispute between the two countries.
A Unipetrol spokesperson has confirmed that Czech oil imports from Russia grew in the second half of 2012 but the future of the Druzhba pipeline remains unclear.
Oil and gas imports and exports may be on the decline in Europe and the Mediterranean region, but the sector is as politically relevant as ever. Dr. Hooman Peimani looks at the transportation routes in the pipeline and their impact.
As energy supplies around the globe look less reliable, Russia is seizing the opportunities to strengthen its position as a major oil and gas exporter. Dr Hooman Peimani reports.