MOSCOW, January 27. /ITAR-TASS/. From the beginning of 2014 Nord Stream transports 90 million cubic meters of gas every 24 hours, the operator company told Itar-Tass.

Gas supplies by Nord Stream amounted to 23.77 billion cubic meters in 2013. Thus, supplies by the new gas pipeline increased by 1.4 times as compared with an annual average rate.

In January 2014 Russian gas export to Europe is higher than last year, Gazprom export told Itar-Tass.

In the middle of January Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said the company “continues to note that Europe needs Russian gas supplies.”

Nord Stream will link Russia’s Baltic Sea coast near Vyborg with Germany’s Baltic Sea coast in the vicinity of Greifswald. The pipeline is 1,224 kilometers long.

Based on long-term comprehensive analysis of technical, environmental and economic aspects and factors of the European energy security, the offshore route was considered the optimal solution for the new pipeline carrying gas to Europe.

The Baltic Sea waters along Nord Stream were thoroughly examined before starting the pipe placement. As straight as possible, the pipeline route was adjusted, however, with due consideration for special areas, such as environmentally sensitive regions, chemical weapons dump sites, military zones, critical navigation routes and other dedicated areas serving business or recreational purposes. Nord Stream is designed so as not to cross the World War II ammunition dump sites.

Nord Stream receives natural gas from the Unified Gas Supply System of Russia.

The Yuzhno-Russkoye oil and gas field will be a key resource base for gas supplies via the pipeline. The Nord Stream will also export gas from the Yamal Peninsula, Ob and Taz Bays, Shtokman field.

The Nord Stream project is implemented by Nord Stream AG, a joint venture set up for designing, constructing and further operating the offshore pipeline.

At present, the Nord Stream AG shareholding structure is as follows: Gazprom (51%), Wintershall Holding (BASF subsidiary) and E. ON Ruhrgas (15.5% each), Gasunie and GDF Suez (9% each).

The Nord Stream’s first string with the throughput of 27.5 billion cubic meters of gas a year was commissioned on November 8, 2011. Commercial supplies of Russian gas to the European Union via Nord Stream’s first string started on that very day.

In April 2012 the second string of the Nord Stream gas pipeline was placed ahead of schedule. A festive ceremony dedicated to commissioning the second string took place on October 8, 2012 in the Portovaya Bay, the Baltic coast of Russia.

The annual gas throughput of Nord Stream will be 55 billion cubic meters after its two strings reach their design capacity.

The entire gas volume to be supplied under the project has been contracted out by major international energy companies.

The Nord Stream project participants consider the possibility of the third and the fourth gas pipeline strings construction.

In October 2012 Nord Stream shareholders examined the preliminary results of the feasibility studies for construction of the third and fourth strings and came to a conclusion that their construction was economically and technically viable.