'Stoical' Nord Stream upbeat despite obstacles

THE NORD Stream gas pipeline is still stuck in the planning stages and has numerous obstacles to overcome. But the project's investment partners remain optimistic about its prospects, writes NJ Watson. Construction is still scheduled to begin in April 2010, the head of the Nord Stream consortium, Matthias Warnig, told journalists at last month's World Gas Conference (WGC) in Buenos Aires – although the pipeline has yet to receive approval from any of the Baltic Sea's littoral states for the route. Nord Stream will run from Siberian gasfields direct to Germany, across the Baltic Sea. If it can meet the consortium's optimistic construction schedule, it will be able to deliver 55.0bn cm/y of R