More than 80% of first stretch of Nord Stream gas pipeline laid

The Nord Stream AG, responsible for the construction of the Nord
Stream gas pipeline, has already laid 1000 kilometers of the
1200-kilometer first stretch of the pipeline and completed works on
laying the pipeline under the Baltic Sea, RZD-Partner reports.

The remaining part will be built by Castoro vessel by April 2011.

It was previously reported that the Nord Stream pipeline will start
functioning already in May 2011.

The Nord Stream pipeline represents a fundamentally new route for
Russian gas exports to Europe, primarily to the markets of Germany,
Britain, France, the Netherlands and Denmark. The pipeline will pass
under the Baltic Sea from Russia (Vyborg) to Germany (Greifswald).

The current shareholders of Nord Stream are Gazprom (51%), the German
company Wintershall Holding and E. ON Ruhrgas (15.5 %),  the French
company GDF Suez (9%) and the Dutch company Gasunie (9 %).