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{{Short description|Trans-Black Sea gas pipeline}}
'''Blue Stream''' is a major trans-[[Black Sea]] gas [[pipeline]] operated by the Russian gas [[monopoly]] [[Gazprom]] that carries [[natural gas]] from [[Russia]] into [[Turkey]]. The pipeline was built with the intent of diversifying gas sources, according to Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller. By [[2010]], Blue Stream is expected to be operating at full capacity, delivering 16 billion cubic meters of gas per year. Total length of the pipe is 1213 [[Kilometre|km]]. The total cost of the Blue Stream pipeline came to $3.2 billion, including $1.7 billion spent on building its underwater segment.
{{About|the major trans-Black Sea gas pipeline}}
{{Infobox pipeline
| name = Blue Stream
| type = [[natural gas]]
| map = {{maplink |type=line |frame=yes |plain=yes |frame-align=center |zoom=4}}
| map_caption = Location of Blue Stream
| country = [[Russia]], [[Turkey]]
| coordinates =
| photo =
| caption =
| operator = [[Gazprom]], Blue Stream Pipeline B.V., [[BOTAŞ]]
| partners = [[Gazprom]], [[Eni]], [[BOTAŞ]]
| length_km = 1213
| discharge = 16 billion cubic metres per year
| direction = north–south
| start = [[Izobilny, Stavropol Krai|Izobilny]] gas plant, [[Stavropol Krai]], [[Russia]]
| finish = [[Ankara]], [[Turkey]]
| est = 2005
| through = [[Beregovaya compressor station|Beregovaya]] compressor station, [[Black Sea]], [[Durusu terminal]]
| par =
}}


'''Blue Stream''' is a major trans-[[Black Sea]] gas [[Pipeline transport|pipeline]] that carries [[Natural gas in Turkey|natural gas to Turkey]] from [[Natural gas in Russia|Russia]]. The pipeline has been constructed by the Blue Stream Pipeline B.V., the [[Netherlands]] based joint venture of [[Russia]]n [[Gazprom]] and [[Italy|Italian]] [[Eni]]. The Blue Stream Pipeline B.V. is an owner of the subsea section of pipeline, including [[Beregovaya compressor station]], while Gazprom owns and operates the Russian land section of the pipeline and the Turkish land section is owned and operated by the Turkish energy company [[BOTAŞ]]. According to [[Gazprom]] the pipeline was built with the intent of diversifying Russian gas delivery routes to Turkey and avoiding third countries.
The pipeline has not been a financial success. Since Turkey is a [[monopsony]], it can dictate, to a large extent, the terms of purchase from Gazprom. Gazprom has made several concessions to the Turkish government, substantially cutting into its expected revenues.


==History==
In late [[August 2005]], [[Vladimir Putin]] and [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan|Tayyip Erdoğan]] discussed building a second line, or an expansion of the Blue Stream line.
Preparations of the pipeline project started in 1997.<ref name=pinr>
{{cite news
| publisher=The Power and Interest News Report (PINR)
| url=http://www.pinr.com/report.php?ac=view_report&report_id=403&language_id=1
| title= Economic Brief: The Blue Stream Gas Pipeline
| date=2005-11-22
| access-date=2008-05-31
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070702221045/http://www.pinr.com/report.php?ac=view_report&report_id=403&language_id=1
| archive-date = 2007-07-02}}
</ref> In 1997, Gazprom and BOTAŞ signed a 25-year gas sale contract.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Russia's Gazprom Export Signs New 4-Year Gas Supply Deal with Turkey's BOTAŞ |url=https://caspiannews.com/news-detail/russias-gazprom-export-signs-new-4-year-gas-supply-deal-with-turkeys-botas-2022-1-9-0/ |access-date=2022-10-22 |website=caspiannews.com |language=en}}</ref> One of the political goals of the Blue Stream project was to block the path of rival countries aiming to use the territory of Turkey to bring gas from the [[Caspian Sea|Caspian area]] to [[Europe]].<ref name="edm110809" />


The construction of the Russian land section took place in 2001–2002 and the offshore section in 2001–2002.<ref name=upstream2>
== Political background ==
{{cite news
| newspaper = [[Upstream (newspaper)|Upstream Online]]
| publisher = [[NHST Media Group]]
| url=http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article119089.ece
| title= Gazprom boosts Blue Stream flows
| date=2006-09-14
| access-date=2008-05-31
| url-access = subscription
}}
</ref> The offshore section of the pipeline was built by Italian constructor Saipem and the Russian onshore section by [[Stroytransgaz]], a subsidiary of Gazprom.<ref name=upstream3>
{{cite news
| newspaper = [[Upstream (newspaper)|Upstream Online]]
| publisher = [[NHST Media Group]]
| url=http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article37467.ece
| title= Spring in Saipem's step
| date=2002-11-12
| access-date=2008-05-31
| url-access = subscription
}}
</ref> The offshore pipe was laid by the pipe-laying vessel [[Saipem 7000]].<ref name=upstream4>
{{cite news
| newspaper = [[Upstream (newspaper)|Upstream Online]]
| publisher = [[NHST Media Group]]
| url=http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article54775.ece
| title= Blue Stream on course
| date=2001-10-18
| access-date=2008-05-31
| url-access = subscription
}}
</ref> Gas flows from Russia to Turkey started in February 2003.<ref name=upstream5>
{{cite news
| newspaper = [[Upstream (newspaper)|Upstream Online]]
| publisher = [[NHST Media Group]]
| url=http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article33319.ece
| title= Blue Stream gas starts flowing
| date=2003-02-20
| access-date=2008-05-31
| url-access = subscription
}}
</ref> However, because of the price dispute between Russia and Turkey, the official inauguration ceremony at the Durusu gas metering station took place only on 17 November 2005.<ref name=pinr/><ref name=upstream6>
{{cite news
| newspaper = [[Upstream (newspaper)|Upstream Online]]
| publisher = [[NHST Media Group]]
| url=http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article30129.ece
| title= Blue Stream stalemate
| date=2003-07-11
| access-date=2008-05-31
| url-access = subscription
}}
</ref> Attending the inauguration were Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]], Turkish Prime Minister [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] and Italian Prime Minister [[Silvio Berlusconi]].
[[File:Putin Erdogan Berlusconi.JPG|thumb|left|[[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]], [[Vladimir Putin]] and [[Silvio Berlusconi]] at the opening of the Blue Stream gas pipeline in November 2005]]


== Technical features ==
Building the Blue Stream pipeline was intended to be the foundation for a "strategic partnership" between Russia and Turkey, with joint participation in [[oil]], energy, and transport projects. The political decision to sell Russian gas to Turkey was made in [[December 1997]], when the two sides signed a corresponding inter-governmental agreement in which Russia undertook to supply 364.5 billion cubic meters of gas to Turkey between [[2000]] and [[2025]]. The existing gas transit route went through [[Ukraine]], [[Moldova]], [[Romania]], and [[Bulgaria]]. But this land route made the gas substantially more expensive, and there were continual reports of gas being illicitly siphoned off while being transported through Ukraine and Moldova. Russia considered that these problems could be solved by building a pipeline across the Black Sea floor.
Blue Stream full capacity is 16&nbsp;billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas per year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Blue Stream Pipeline Project, Europe - Hydrocarbons Technology |url=https://www.hydrocarbons-technology.com/projects/bluestream-pipeline/ |access-date=2022-10-22 |website=www.hydrocarbons-technology.com}}</ref> Total length of the pipeline is {{convert|1213|km|mi}}. The Russia's land section is {{convert|373|km|mi}} long from the [[Izobilnoye]] gas plant, [[Stavropol Krai]], up to [[Arkhipo-Osipovka]], [[Krasnodar Krai]]. The land section consists of the Stavropolskaya and Krasnodarskaya compressor stations. The offshore section is {{convert|396|km|mi}} long laying from the Beregovaya compressor station in Arkhipo-Osipovka to the [[Durusu terminal]] locating {{convert|60|km}} from [[Samsun]] (Turkey). Turkey's land section is {{convert|444|km|mi}} long up to [[Ankara]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2022}}


The pipeline uses pipes with different diameters: mainland section {{convert|1400|mm|in}}, mountainous section {{convert|1200|mm|in}} and submarine section {{convert|610|mm|in}}. The gas pressure in submarine section is {{convert|25|MPa|atm|abbr=on}}. Being laid in depths as low as {{convert|2.2|km|mi}}, it is considered among the deepest subsea pipelines of this diameter.<ref>{{cite web
The construction of Blue Stream was accompanied by [[environmentalism|environmentalist]] protests; but these had no significant effect, since the official environmental impact assessement found no transgressions.
|publisher = [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Russia)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russian Federation]]
|url = http://www.mid.ru/ns-dipecon.nsf/a591a1e97b9a36ce43256a0c003fb95e/43256a0c0033bf7ac325703500285f36?OpenDocument
|title = Проект "Голубой поток"
|trans-title = Blue Stream Project
|date = 2005-11-18
|access-date = 2009-11-11
|language = ru
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070629210140/http://www.mid.ru/ns-dipecon.nsf/a591a1e97b9a36ce43256a0c003fb95e/43256a0c0033bf7ac325703500285f36?OpenDocument
|archive-date = 2007-06-29
}}</ref>


==Operations==
Meanwhile, some Russian economic analysts objected that building a pipeline to [[Ankara]] meant tying Russia to a monopolist consumer, and Turkey was not a reliable partner.
Gas from Blue Stream started to flow in February 2003, and the pipeline delivered 1.3 bcm to [[BOTAŞ]] in 2003.<ref>ENI, [https://www.eni.com/en_IT/attachments/publications/reports/reports-2003/01_FactBook_ing.pdf" ''ENI Fact Book 2003''], p. 41. Retrieved August 10, 2015.</ref> Gas flows have progressively increased towards the pipeline's capacity of 16 bcm per year. From 2010 to 2014, supplies averaged 14.1 bcm per year, with a high point of 14.7 bcm in 2012.<ref>Gazprom, [http://www.gazprom.com/about/production/projects/pipelines/blue-stream/ ''Blue Stream Pipeline''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030224114/http://www.gazprom.com/about/production/projects/pipelines/blue-stream/ |date=2014-10-30 }}, Retrieved August 10, 2015.</ref><ref>International Energy Agency, [http://www.iea.org/gtf/ ''European Gas Trade Flows''], Retrieved August 2015.</ref>


== Contracts ==
One of the political goals of the Blue Stream project was to block the path of rival countries aiming to use the territory of Turkey to bring gas from the [[Middle East]] and [[Caspian Sea|Caspian area]] to [[Europe]]. In November 1999, the presidents of [[Turkmenistan]], [[Turkey]], [[Azerbaijan]], and [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] signed a four-party inter-governmental agreement on building a rival Trans-Caspian gas pipeline. Within a few months, major oil companies - [[General Electric]], [[Bechtel]], [[Royal Dutch Shell]] - had established a [[joint venture]] to work on the competing project. But Turkey was only interested in one pipeline project. By spring 2000, however, an argument had arisen among the Trans-Caspian participant nations over allocating quotas for Azerbaijan's use of the pipeline; as a result, all construction work was halted. Thus, Blue Stream won the battle for the Caspian.
The contract signed in 1997 was for 365 bcm total.<ref name=":0" /> A BOTAŞ contract for 5.75 bcm a year expires at the end of 2025,<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.oxfordenergy.org/wpcms/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Gas-Supply-Changes-in-Turkey-Insight-24.pdf?v=79cba1185463 |title=Gas Supply Changes in Turkey |publisher=[[Oxford Institute for Energy Studies]] |year=2018 |pages=8 |access-date=3 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112164806/https://www.oxfordenergy.org/wpcms/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Gas-Supply-Changes-in-Turkey-Insight-24.pdf?v=79cba1185463 |archive-date=12 January 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> thus all 16 bcm expires end 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Turkey's supply-demand balance and renewal of its LTCs |url=https://www.oxfordenergy.org/publications/turkeys-supply-demand-balance-and-renewal-of-its-ltcs/ |access-date=2022-10-22 |website=[[Oxford Institute for Energy Studies]] |language=en}}</ref>{{Rp|page=22}}


==Blue Stream 2==
In the lead-up to Blue Stream's opening ceremony, the United States publically criticized the pipeline, calling on Europe to avoid becoming any more dependent on Russia for energy.
Blue Stream 2 was first proposed in 2002. In 2005, Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan discussed building a second line, and an expansion of the Blue Stream by the Samsun-[[Ceyhan]] link and by branch to [[southeast Europe]]. This second pipeline, and extension of it up through [[Bulgaria]], [[Serbia]] and [[Croatia]] to western [[Hungary]] was suggested after five countries planned to construct the [[Nabucco Pipeline]] from Turkey to Central and Western Europe. However, this expansion was replaced by the [[South Stream]] project, which proposed laying subsea pipeline directly from Russia to Bulgaria, which in turn was later replaced by [[TurkStream]]. In 2009, Russian prime minister Putin proposed a line parallel to Blue Stream 1 under the Black Sea, and further from Samsun to Ceyhan. From Ceyhan natural gas would have been transported to [[Syria]], [[Lebanon]], [[Israel]], and [[Cyprus]].<ref name="edm110809">
{{cite news
| publisher=[[The Jamestown Foundation]]
| work= Eurasia Daily Monitor
| url=http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=35394&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=7&cHash=da2f573c7c
| title= Gazprom, Turkey Revive and Reconfigure Blue Stream Two
| author = Vladimir Socor
| author-link = Vladimir Socor
| date=2009-08-11
| access-date=2009-08-30}}
</ref> The export to Israel would have been through the proposed Ceyhan-[[Ashkelon]] subsea pipeline.<ref name="upstream1">
{{cite news
| newspaper = [[Upstream (newspaper)|Upstream Online]]
| publisher = NHST Media Group
| url=http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article127529.ece
| title= Israel sets sights on Russian gas
| date=2007-02-08
| access-date=2008-05-31
| url-access = subscription
}}
</ref>
==See also==
{{Portal|Energy|Russia|Engineering|Transport|Economy}}
*[[South Stream]]
*[[Nabucco Pipeline]]
*[[Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline]]
*[[South Caucasus Pipeline]]


== References ==
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
*Oksana Gavshina, "The Turkish Gambit", ''[[Nezavisimaya Gazeta]]'', [[November 21]], [[2005]]


==Further reading==
[[Category:Gazprom]]
*Oksana Gavshina, "The Turkish Gambit", ''[[Nezavisimaya Gazeta]]'', 21 November 2005
[[Category:Pipelines]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Russia]]


==External links==
[[nl:Blauwe Stroom]]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20141030224114/http://www.gazprom.com/about/production/projects/pipelines/blue-stream/], Gazprom website

* [https://www.gem.wiki/Blue_Stream_Gas_Pipeline Blue Stream] on [[Global Energy Monitor]]

{{coord missing|Turkey}}
{{Pipeline Systems of Russia}}
{{Black Sea Energy}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 2005]]
[[Category:Eni]]
[[Category:Pipelines under the Black Sea]]
[[Category:Natural gas pipelines in Russia]]
[[Category:Natural gas pipelines in Turkey]]
[[Category:Gazprom pipelines]]
[[Category:Russia–Turkey relations]]
[[Category:Black Sea energy]]
[[Category:2005 establishments in Russia]]
[[Category:2005 establishments in Turkey]]

Latest revision as of 18:34, 30 November 2023

This article is about the major trans-Black Sea gas pipeline. For other uses, see Blue Stream (disambiguation).
Blue Stream
Map
Location of Blue Stream
Location
CountryRussia, Turkey
General directionnorth–south
FromIzobilny gas plant, Stavropol Krai, Russia
Passes throughBeregovaya compressor station, Black Sea, Durusu terminal
ToAnkara, Turkey
General information
Typenatural gas
PartnersGazprom, Eni, BOTAŞ
OperatorGazprom, Blue Stream Pipeline B.V., BOTAŞ
Commissioned2005
Technical information
Length1,213 km (754 mi)
Maximum discharge16 billion cubic metres per year

Blue Stream is a major trans-Black Sea gas pipeline that carries natural gas to Turkey from Russia. The pipeline has been constructed by the Blue Stream Pipeline B.V., the Netherlands based joint venture of Russian Gazprom and Italian Eni. The Blue Stream Pipeline B.V. is an owner of the subsea section of pipeline, including Beregovaya compressor station, while Gazprom owns and operates the Russian land section of the pipeline and the Turkish land section is owned and operated by the Turkish energy company BOTAŞ. According to Gazprom the pipeline was built with the intent of diversifying Russian gas delivery routes to Turkey and avoiding third countries.

History

[edit]

Preparations of the pipeline project started in 1997.[1] In 1997, Gazprom and BOTAŞ signed a 25-year gas sale contract.[2] One of the political goals of the Blue Stream project was to block the path of rival countries aiming to use the territory of Turkey to bring gas from the Caspian area to Europe.[3]

The construction of the Russian land section took place in 2001–2002 and the offshore section in 2001–2002.[4] The offshore section of the pipeline was built by Italian constructor Saipem and the Russian onshore section by Stroytransgaz, a subsidiary of Gazprom.[5] The offshore pipe was laid by the pipe-laying vessel Saipem 7000.[6] Gas flows from Russia to Turkey started in February 2003.[7] However, because of the price dispute between Russia and Turkey, the official inauguration ceremony at the Durusu gas metering station took place only on 17 November 2005.[1][8] Attending the inauguration were Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Vladimir Putin and Silvio Berlusconi at the opening of the Blue Stream gas pipeline in November 2005

Technical features

[edit]

Blue Stream full capacity is 16 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas per year.[9] Total length of the pipeline is 1,213 kilometres (754 mi). The Russia's land section is 373 kilometres (232 mi) long from the Izobilnoye gas plant, Stavropol Krai, up to Arkhipo-Osipovka, Krasnodar Krai. The land section consists of the Stavropolskaya and Krasnodarskaya compressor stations. The offshore section is 396 kilometres (246 mi) long laying from the Beregovaya compressor station in Arkhipo-Osipovka to the Durusu terminal locating 60 kilometres (37 mi) from Samsun (Turkey). Turkey's land section is 444 kilometres (276 mi) long up to Ankara.[citation needed]

The pipeline uses pipes with different diameters: mainland section 1,400 millimetres (55 in), mountainous section 1,200 millimetres (47 in) and submarine section 610 millimetres (24 in). The gas pressure in submarine section is 25 MPa (250 atm). Being laid in depths as low as 2.2 kilometres (1.4 mi), it is considered among the deepest subsea pipelines of this diameter.[10]

Operations

[edit]

Gas from Blue Stream started to flow in February 2003, and the pipeline delivered 1.3 bcm to BOTAŞ in 2003.[11] Gas flows have progressively increased towards the pipeline's capacity of 16 bcm per year. From 2010 to 2014, supplies averaged 14.1 bcm per year, with a high point of 14.7 bcm in 2012.[12][13]

Contracts

[edit]

The contract signed in 1997 was for 365 bcm total.[2] A BOTAŞ contract for 5.75 bcm a year expires at the end of 2025,[14][2] thus all 16 bcm expires end 2025.[15]: 22 

Blue Stream 2

[edit]

Blue Stream 2 was first proposed in 2002. In 2005, Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan discussed building a second line, and an expansion of the Blue Stream by the Samsun-Ceyhan link and by branch to southeast Europe. This second pipeline, and extension of it up through Bulgaria, Serbia and Croatia to western Hungary was suggested after five countries planned to construct the Nabucco Pipeline from Turkey to Central and Western Europe. However, this expansion was replaced by the South Stream project, which proposed laying subsea pipeline directly from Russia to Bulgaria, which in turn was later replaced by TurkStream. In 2009, Russian prime minister Putin proposed a line parallel to Blue Stream 1 under the Black Sea, and further from Samsun to Ceyhan. From Ceyhan natural gas would have been transported to Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Cyprus.[3] The export to Israel would have been through the proposed Ceyhan-Ashkelon subsea pipeline.[16]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Economic Brief: The Blue Stream Gas Pipeline". The Power and Interest News Report (PINR). 2005-11-22. Archived from the original on 2007-07-02. Retrieved 2008-05-31.
  2. ^ a b c "Russia's Gazprom Export Signs New 4-Year Gas Supply Deal with Turkey's BOTAŞ". caspiannews.com. Retrieved 2022-10-22.
  3. ^ a b Vladimir Socor (2009-08-11). "Gazprom, Turkey Revive and Reconfigure Blue Stream Two". Eurasia Daily Monitor. The Jamestown Foundation. Retrieved 2009-08-30.
  4. ^ "Gazprom boosts Blue Stream flows". Upstream Online. NHST Media Group. 2006-09-14. Retrieved 2008-05-31.
  5. ^ "Spring in Saipem's step". Upstream Online. NHST Media Group. 2002-11-12. Retrieved 2008-05-31.
  6. ^ "Blue Stream on course". Upstream Online. NHST Media Group. 2001-10-18. Retrieved 2008-05-31.
  7. ^ "Blue Stream gas starts flowing". Upstream Online. NHST Media Group. 2003-02-20. Retrieved 2008-05-31.
  8. ^ "Blue Stream stalemate". Upstream Online. NHST Media Group. 2003-07-11. Retrieved 2008-05-31.
  9. ^ "The Blue Stream Pipeline Project, Europe - Hydrocarbons Technology". www.hydrocarbons-technology.com. Retrieved 2022-10-22.
  10. ^ "Проект "Голубой поток"" [Blue Stream Project] (in Russian). Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russian Federation. 2005-11-18. Archived from the original on 2007-06-29. Retrieved 2009-11-11.
  11. ^ ENI, " ENI Fact Book 2003, p. 41. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  12. ^ Gazprom, Blue Stream Pipeline Archived 2014-10-30 at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  13. ^ International Energy Agency, European Gas Trade Flows, Retrieved August 2015.
  14. ^ Gas Supply Changes in Turkey (PDF). Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. 2018. p. 8. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  15. ^ "Turkey's supply-demand balance and renewal of its LTCs". Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. Retrieved 2022-10-22.
  16. ^ "Israel sets sights on Russian gas". Upstream Online. NHST Media Group. 2007-02-08. Retrieved 2008-05-31.

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
  • [1], Gazprom website

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