Russian and Austrian main gas companies Gazprom and OMV have initiated discussion on the relevancy of alternative Russian gas routes to European consumers. OMV has agreed to the proposal of the Austrian party to look into the possibility of constructing a gas pipeline section of the South Stream project in Austria within the existing intergovernmental agreement.
Austria is a major gas transit country with Baumgarten hub being one of the three largest gas distribution centres in Europe, which started importing gas from Russia in 1968. Since then Austria has imported more than 187 bcm of gas from Russia, including 5.2 bcm in 2013 alone. The South Stream pipeline will stretch from the Russian shores of the Black Sea to Varna in Bulgaria and will go through Serbia (branches to Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia), Hungary and Slovenia until reaching Italy. It is expected to deliver up to 63 bcm/year and first gas deliveries are planned for 2015.
Source: Gazprom