White Stream
Encyclopedia
White Stream is a proposed pipeline project to transport natural gas
from the Caspian region
to Romania and Ukraine with further supplies to Central Europe.
asked the European Union to consider participating in White Stream project. On 28 May 2008, the European Commission
identified the project as 'Project of Common Interest' and is further flagged as a 'Priority Project' (Commission Decision C(2008) 1969 final of 28 May 2008). The Government of Georgia signed a Memorandum of Understanding with White Stream in March 2009.
The company developing the White Stream project has received co-funding for studies under EU's TEN-E programme. The first TEN-E grant was supported by the Government of Romania. The second grant was supported by the Governments of Romania, Poland and Lithuania.
The importance of White Stream grew significantly at the end of October, 2009. Continuous monopolization
of energy transit routes by Turkey's AKP
government through its territory led Azerbaijani
government to consider diversification of its exports within South Caucasus by potentially using White Stream for Azerbaijani gas to reach Europe. The option was laid out by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
along with previously considered onshore routes through Russia and Iran during his recent special session on gas issues.
near Tbilisi
and run for 133 kilometres (82.6 mi) via Georgia
to Supsa
at the Black Sea. From Supsa there are two possible offshore routes. The direct route from Supsa to Constanţa
in Romania is 1105 kilometres (686.6 mi) long. In this case, the long connection to Crimea
would be built at the later stage. Another option is that the pipeline would run to Constanţa through Crimea. A 630 kilometres (391.5 mi) long offshore pipeline would make landfall near Feodosia. From there, a 215 kilometres (133.6 mi) long onshore pipeline would cross the Crimea and a 395 kilometres (245.4 mi) long offshore pipeline would continue to Romania. In Ukraine the pipeline will be linked to Ukraine's transit system by 200 kilometres (124.3 mi) long onshore branch. It would allow to diversify supplies for Poland, Lithuania, and Slovakia.
In Constanţa, gas from White Stream would supply demand in Romania and neighboring markets. It would also supply a proposed onshore gas pipeline running parallel to the planned Pan-European Oil Pipeline
. The final route of this pipeline is not decided yet. It is expected to run directly across the Balkan peninsula to Trieste
in north-east Italy or possibly to the Baumgarten
gas hub in Austria.
from the Azerbaijan
's Caspian offshore sector. If the planned Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline
is built, the total capacity of pipeline will increase to 32 bcm.
White Stream will consist of a number of legs with capacity of 8-9 bcm of each. The diameter of Georgian section will be 42 inches (1,066.8 mm) for the onshore section and 28 inches (711.2 mm) for the offshore section. In Crimea most likely larger diameter new pipelines will be used where existing 20 inches (508 mm) diameter pipelines do not have adequate capacity.
In deepest sections of the sea, project is expected to use 26 inch steel tubes, provided that the maximum water depth does not exceed 2,000 meters below the sea surface. It is proposed to use J-Lay barges
to lay the pipes on the seabed.
The pipeline is expected to commence commercial operations in 2016.
, the consortium is led by the London-based Pipeline Systems Engineering and the New-York-based Radon-Ishizumi consulting and engineering firms.
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
from the Caspian region
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
to Romania and Ukraine with further supplies to Central Europe.
History
For the first time the White Stream idea was presented by Ukrainian officials in 2005. In 2006-2007, the project was discussed at different international conferences. In May 2007, it was presented at the Vienna gas forum, and on 11 October 2007, it was presented during the summit-level Energy Security Conference in Vilnius. On 28 January 2008, Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia TymoshenkoYulia Tymoshenko
Yulia Volodymyrivna Tymoshenko , née Grigyan , born 27 November 1960, is a Ukrainian politician. She was the Prime Minister of Ukraine from 24 January to 8 September 2005, and again from 18 December 2007 to 4 March 2010. She placed third in Forbes Magazine's List of The World's 100 Most Powerful...
asked the European Union to consider participating in White Stream project. On 28 May 2008, the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
identified the project as 'Project of Common Interest' and is further flagged as a 'Priority Project' (Commission Decision C(2008) 1969 final of 28 May 2008). The Government of Georgia signed a Memorandum of Understanding with White Stream in March 2009.
The company developing the White Stream project has received co-funding for studies under EU's TEN-E programme. The first TEN-E grant was supported by the Government of Romania. The second grant was supported by the Governments of Romania, Poland and Lithuania.
The importance of White Stream grew significantly at the end of October, 2009. Continuous monopolization
Monopoly
A monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...
of energy transit routes by Turkey's AKP
Justice and Development Party (Turkey)
The Justice and Development Party , abbreviated JDP in English and AK PARTİ or AKP in Turkish, is a centre-right political party in Turkey. The party is the largest in Turkey, with 327 members of parliament...
government through its territory led Azerbaijani
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
government to consider diversification of its exports within South Caucasus by potentially using White Stream for Azerbaijani gas to reach Europe. The option was laid out by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
Ilham Aliyev
Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev is the President of Azerbaijan since 2003. He also functions as the Chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party and the head of the National Olympic Committee...
along with previously considered onshore routes through Russia and Iran during his recent special session on gas issues.
Route
The pipeline would branch off from the South Caucasus PipelineSouth Caucasus Pipeline
South Caucasus Pipeline is a natural gas pipeline to transport natural gas from the Shah Deniz gas field in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea to Turkey...
near Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
and run for 133 kilometres (82.6 mi) via Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
to Supsa
Supsa
Supsa is a Black Sea port village in western Georgia. It is located at around .It is the terminus of the Western Early Oil pipeline from Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea oil fields....
at the Black Sea. From Supsa there are two possible offshore routes. The direct route from Supsa to Constanţa
Constanta
Constanța is the oldest extant city in Romania, founded around 600 BC. The city is located in the Dobruja region of Romania, on the Black Sea coast. It is the capital of Constanța County and the largest city in the region....
in Romania is 1105 kilometres (686.6 mi) long. In this case, the long connection to Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
would be built at the later stage. Another option is that the pipeline would run to Constanţa through Crimea. A 630 kilometres (391.5 mi) long offshore pipeline would make landfall near Feodosia. From there, a 215 kilometres (133.6 mi) long onshore pipeline would cross the Crimea and a 395 kilometres (245.4 mi) long offshore pipeline would continue to Romania. In Ukraine the pipeline will be linked to Ukraine's transit system by 200 kilometres (124.3 mi) long onshore branch. It would allow to diversify supplies for Poland, Lithuania, and Slovakia.
In Constanţa, gas from White Stream would supply demand in Romania and neighboring markets. It would also supply a proposed onshore gas pipeline running parallel to the planned Pan-European Oil Pipeline
Pan-European Pipeline
The Pan-European Oil Pipeline is a proposed oil pipeline from Constanţa in Romania via Serbia and Croatia to Rijeka and from there through Slovenia to Trieste in Italy. The aim of the pipeline is to bypass Turkish straits in the transportation of Russian and Caspian oil to Central Europe...
. The final route of this pipeline is not decided yet. It is expected to run directly across the Balkan peninsula to Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
in north-east Italy or possibly to the Baumgarten
Baumgarten an der March
Baumgarten an der March is a small subdivision of the municipality of Weiden an der March in Lower Austria, Austria. It has only 192 inhabitants.It is a location of the Central European Gas Hub...
gas hub in Austria.
Technical features
At the first stage the initial capacity of pipeline will be 8 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas per year. At this stage the pipeline would be supplied from the Shah Deniz gas fieldShah Deniz gas field
Shah Deniz gas field is the largest natural gas field in Azerbaijan. It is situated in the South Caspian Sea, off the coast of Azerbaijan, approximately southeast of Baku, at a depth of . The field covers approximately . The Shah Deniz gas and condensate field was discovered in 1999...
from the Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
's Caspian offshore sector. If the planned Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline
Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline
The Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline is a proposed submarine pipeline between Türkmenbaşy in Turkmenistan, and Baku in Azerbaijan. According to some proposals it will also include a connection between the Tengiz Field in Kazakhstan, and Türkmenbaşy...
is built, the total capacity of pipeline will increase to 32 bcm.
White Stream will consist of a number of legs with capacity of 8-9 bcm of each. The diameter of Georgian section will be 42 inches (1,066.8 mm) for the onshore section and 28 inches (711.2 mm) for the offshore section. In Crimea most likely larger diameter new pipelines will be used where existing 20 inches (508 mm) diameter pipelines do not have adequate capacity.
In deepest sections of the sea, project is expected to use 26 inch steel tubes, provided that the maximum water depth does not exceed 2,000 meters below the sea surface. It is proposed to use J-Lay barges
Pipe-laying ship
A pipelaying ship is a maritime vessel used in the construction of subsea infrastructure. It serves to connect oil production platforms with refineries on shore...
to lay the pipes on the seabed.
The pipeline is expected to commence commercial operations in 2016.
Project company
The project is promoted by a London-based GUEU – White Stream Pipeline Company. The composition of the consortium is not disclosed. According to Vladimir SocorVladimir Socor
Vladimir Socor is a political analyst of East European affairs for the Jamestown Foundation and its Eurasia Daily Monitor, currently residing in Munich, Germany...
, the consortium is led by the London-based Pipeline Systems Engineering and the New-York-based Radon-Ishizumi consulting and engineering firms.