Construction of the looping system (total length - nearly 700 kilometers) is in full swing. To date, 626 kilometers (more than 90 per cent) have been welded up, 515 kilometers (around 75 per cent) of those have been trenched and buried. Gas compressor capacities are being expanded at the Portovaya, Gryazovetskaya, Babayevskaya, Pikalevskaya, Volkhovskaya, Elizavetinskaya, Sheksninskaya compressor stations (CS).

The said capacities are required, inter alia, for gas supply to the Nord Stream second string to be commissioned in 2012. In September the second string will be filled with buffer gas, in October commercial gas supplies will be launched.

'The Gryazovets - Vyborg gas pipeline is needed to help implementing Nord Stream, a major project of Gazprom as well as to secure the supply of additional gas volumes to consumers in northwestern Russia.

Tags: Gazprom