Asia Times: 'Turk Stream' far from a done deal

In the latest installment of the evolving post-South Stream story, it is first of all necessary to correct two wrong assumptions or assertions that have proliferated through the press reports in recent weeks. Both of these have to do with the Blue Stream natural gas pipeline that has been in service from Russia under the Black Sea to Turkey since 2005.

Errors and Misconceptions: The first concerns the volume of the Blue Stream pipeline from Russia under the Black Sea to Turkey. Following the Putin-Erdogan meeting in December 2014, it was announced by the two sides that Russia would increase the flow of gas through the Blue Stream by 3 billion cubic meters per year (bcm/y) beginning in 2015.

Many reports asserted that this meant that the flow would be increased from 16 to 19 bcm/y, but in fact it means that the flow will be increased from 13 to 16 bcm/y. The Blue Stream’s maximum volume is 16 bcm/y, and numerous reporters and press agencies appeared to assume that it was operating at full capacity and would somehow magically expand to operate at over a full capacity.
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