Reuters: Russia's Gazprom Eyes First Gas via New Route to Turkey by 2017

Russia's Gazprom plans to supply the first gas via a new route to Turkey in December 2016, Chief Executive Alexei Miller said in a statement on Tuesday.

Gazprom said last year it would build a new pipeline to Turkey with a capacity of 63 billion cubic metres (bcm) a year to bypass Ukraine. It had earlier scrapped a planned South Stream pipeline over disagreements with the European Union.

Under the new plan, the EU would have to build its own link to the proposed pipeline to Turkey to get Russian gas, which now accounts for around a third of Europe's needs. Around half of that is currently being pumped via Ukraine.

On Tuesday, Miller said the new pipeline would consist of four lines of 15.75 bcm each, with the first one to supply Turkey only. Turkey is already receiving Russian gas via existing routes, importing 27.4 bcm last year. MORE