Russia opposes privatisation of gas-import contracts on the blue stream pipeline project

Turkey’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister admitted yesterday that Russian gas giant Gazprom was opposing the privatization of gas-import contracts on the Blue Stream Pipeline project. Minister Taner Yildiz said Turkey had asked Gazprom to permit the privatization of the Blue Stream contract because it wanted the private sector to take a larger portion of the natural gas market as is already the case in the electricity market. “Gazprom said it could not do so because it would affect feasibility, but we will repeat our proposal regarding the Western Line,” Yildiz told reporters in Ankara. Gas from Russia to Turkey flows through two main lines, the Blue Stream and the Western Line.  Gazprom owns and operates the Russian land section of the latter, while the Turkish section is owned and operated by the Turkey’s BOTAS.