The White Stream Pipeline and the Russo-Georgian War of 2008

In 2005 Ukraine presented the European Union with a plan for the construction of the White Pipeline. The pipeline would transfer natural gas from Azerbaijan to Crimea (Ukraine) and Costantza (Romania) bypassing Russia and Gazprom. On May 2008 the European Union accepted the pipeline as a “Project of Common Interest”, which means the pipeline was eligible for EU funding. See map 1 and the second paragraph of the Wikipedia link.

Map 1 The White Stream Pipeline (Georgia-Ukraine-Romania)

http://www.energyworldmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/White-Stream.jpg

On August 2008 Russia attacked Georgia, and helped the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia to secede from Georgia, and the project never materialized.

Map 2 Abkhazia and South Ossetia

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cd/Georgia,_Ossetia,_Russia_and_Abkhazia_(en).svg/2000px-Georgia,_Ossetia,_Russia_and_Abkhazia_(en).svg.png

Articles

“White Stream”

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For the first time the White Stream idea was presented by Ukrainian officials in 2005. In 2006–2007, the project was discussed at different international conferences. In May 2007, it was presented at the Vienna gas forum, and on 11 October 2007, it was presented during the summit-level Energy Security Conference in Vilnius.[1] On 28 January 2008, Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko asked the European Union to consider participating in White Stream project.[2] On 28 May 2008, the European Commission identified the project as 'Project of Common Interest' and further flagged as a 'Priority Project' (Commission Decision C(2008) 1969 final of 28 May 2008).[3] The Government of Georgia signed a Memorandum of Understanding with White Stream in March 2009.[4]

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The pipeline would branch off from the South Caucasus Pipeline near Tbilisi and run for 133 kilometres (83 mi) via Georgia to Supsa at the Black Sea. From Supsa there are two possible offshore routes. The direct route from Supsa to Constanţa in Romania is 1,105 kilometres (687 mi) long. In this case, the long connection toCrimea would be built at the later stage.[3] Another option is that the pipeline would run to Constanţa through Crimea.[7][8] A 630 kilometres (390 mi) long offshore pipeline would make landfall near Feodosiya.[7] From there, a 215 kilometres (134 mi) long onshore pipeline would cross the Crimea and a 395 kilometres (245 mi) long offshore pipeline would continue to Romania.[9] In Ukraine the pipeline was to be linked to Ukraine's transit system by 200 kilometres (120 mi) long onshore branch. It would allow to diversify supplies for Poland, Lithuania, and Slovakia.[7]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Stream

“Russia-Georgian War”

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The Russo-Georgian War was an armed conflict between Georgia, Russia, and the Russian-backed self-proclaimed republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.[note 3] The war took place in August 2008 following a period of worsening relations between Russia and Georgia, both formerly constituent republics of the Soviet Union. The fighting took place in the strategically important Transcaucasia region, which borders the Middle East. It was regarded as the first European war of the 21st century.[27]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russo-Georgian_War

“Trans-Black sea pipeline can bring Caspian gas to Europe”, December 2006

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The GUEU line is projected to carry 8 billion cubic meters of gas annually in the first phase from Azerbaijan’s giant Shah Deniz offshore field. With at least 1 trillion cubic meters in estimated reserves, Shah Deniz has ample potential for supporting more than the existing Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline (BTE) and the planned Turkey-Austria (Nabucco) line. The GUEU pipeline targets Poland via the Black Sea and Ukraine with a relatively modest first-phase volume. Thus, the project in no sense competes with BTE or Nabucco for upstream resources or downstream markets. The GUEU projects offers an additional, necessary outlet for Caspian gas.

http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=32299#.Vwofhfl95dg