No Plans to Transfer Belarus Gas to Nord Stream

Gazprom has no plans to transfer gas from the Belarusian portion of the Yamal-Europe pipeline to recently opened Nord Stream, the company said yesterday.

Speaking to the Belarusian Telegraph Agency (BeITA), Gazprom said that supply through the Yamal-Europe pipeline would not be reduced after the company's recent acquisition of Belarusian gas transport company Beltransgaz.

Input pressure to the Yamal-Europe pipeline dropped on Saturday, from an hourly rate of 2.8 million to 2.2 million cubic metres; however, the company spokesperson told BeITA that the move was a temporary one only.

"Transit volumes have been slightly reduced in the recent days, but it was a one-time move connected to the fluctuating daily yields in Germany," a spokesperson said. "It will not affect the current transit contract."

The gas transit of the Yamal-Europe pipeline would remain the same, the spokesperson said.

"We do not plan to shift gas pumped by Yamal-Europe and thus transited via Belarus to the Nord Stream gas pipeline."