PRESS: Gazprom can sign Nord Stream-2 deal this week in Far East

MOSCOW, Aug 31 (PRIME) -- Russian gas giant Gazprom can sign a binding shareholder agreement on the Nord Stream-2 pipeline, a new pipeline to bypass Ukraine, with Shell, OMV, E.ON and Wintershall between Thursday and Saturday, business daily Kommersant reported Monday, citing sources with knowledge of the negotiations’ agenda.

The place of signing the agreement – the city of Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East -- could mean that the signing of large gas deals with China expected to take place at the Eastern Economic Forum slated for these dates, will be cancelled, Mariya Belova from Vygon Consulting said.

According to the sources, Shell, OMV, E.ON and Wintershall will receive a 10% stake each, Gazprom will retain 51% and will leave 9% for another potential investor. The stake will most probably go to Engie, formerly known as GdF Suez, but the negotiations are not over yet, the sources cited by Kommersant said.

Nord Stream-2 with a capacity of 55 billion cubic meters will run from Russia to Germany across the Baltic Sea, the same route as the Nord Stream-1’s.

Gazprom has already registered an affiliate with a capital of U.S. $1.04 million in Switzerland, which will work on the pipeline.

End