MOSCOW, January 19. /TASS/. Gazprom received an authorization from Turkish authorities to build the second line of the offshore segment of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline to Turkish coast, the Russian gas holding said on Friday.

"Implementation of the Turkish Stream project is in full swing. It is implemented concurrently on three sites in accordance with the plan: onshore in Russia and Turkey and in the Black Sea. Over 760 km were laid in total for both lines. Construction of the landfall section in Russia is close to completion. Work on the construction site of the receiving terminal started in Turkey. The permit to lay the second line in the exclusive economic zone and territorial waters of Turkey was received today. Hence all the required permits for offshore laying of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline were received from the government of the Republic of Turkey. For now, both lines of the gas pipeline will be definitely put into operation in time, before 2019 year-end," Chief Executive Officer of Gazprom Alexei Miller said.

The Turkish Stream project envisages the construction of a gas pipeline across the Black Sea to Turkey’s European part and further on to the border with Greece. The seabed section is to be 910 kilometers long and the land section will run 180 km into Turkey. On May 7, Gazprom kicked off the construction of a seabed section of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline from the Russian Black Sea coast.

The first line is meant for gas supplies to the Turkish market. The second one will be used to supply gas to Southern and Southeastern Europe. Each line will have a capacity of 15.75 bln cubic meters of gas a year. The overall cost of the project is estimated at 11.4 bln euro.