Nord Stream 2 Investors Step Against European Conflict - OMV

Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline investors are not seeking conflict in Europe and are looking to allay fears of concerned EU states, CEO of the Austrian energy company OMV Rainer Seele said Thursday.

BERLIN (Sputnik) — A number of EU countries, notably Germany and Austria, have been supportive of the gas pipeline project but Poland and the Baltic states have argued it would increase energy dependence on Russia.

"There are a number of EU countries that support the pipeline project, primarily Germany, which if… interested in this project should lead it into the European context. We, as investors of the Nord Stream 2 project, are very interested in not heading for a conflict with Europe, but in winning over those states that have concerns," Seele said.

In April, Nord Stream 2 AG, a venture of Russian’s Gazprom energy giant and its European partners, signed a deal with OMV, Engie, Royal Dutch Shell, Uniper and Wintershall where the five firms agreed to provide half of long-term financing, estimated at $10.3 billion.

The launch of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which is designed to deliver an estimated 55 billion cubic meters of Russian natural gas a year to Germany across the Baltic Sea, bypassing Ukraine, is planned for 2018.