Russian gas giant Gazprom will build a connection to Montenegro in the South Stream gas pipeline, which is to carry Russian natural gas under the Black Sea to Europe, the company said on Friday.
"The parties have discussed technical opportunities to join Montenegro to the South Stream project, after the country showed it was interested at the end of last year. We have decided to work out a feasibility study to build a gas pipeline bend to Montenegro," Gazprom said in a statement.
The South Stream pipeline is to transport up to 63 billion cubic meters of gas to central and southern Europe, diversifying Russian gas routes away from transit countries such as Ukraine. Construction will start in December 2012, and not 2013 as previously planned.
Russia plans to launch South Stream in 2015. Last December Turkey gave Russia the final go-ahead needed to build the pipeline.
