A multi-billion dollar pipeline carrying Russian gas under the Black Sea to Turkey was officially inaugurated on November 17 at the Turkish port of Samsun. The ceremony at the Sangachal oil terminal was attended by President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, Premier of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Prime Minister of Italy, Silvio Berlusconi.

"Blue Stream" is the world’s deepest undersea gas pipeline, reaching a depth of more than 1.5 miles. It stretches from southern Russia under the Black Sea to the Durusu Metering Station, a natural gas terminal outside the port city of Samsun. An extension of the pipeline then carries the gas to the capital of Ankara. Italy’s Eni SpA was a key partner in the construction of the pipeline, which was originally meant to supply Turkey’s domestic markets, providing more than 60% of the country’s natural gas needs.

When Turkey first signed up to the project there was concern that the country would become dependent on Russia for gas. Washington had balked at proposals to build the pipeline and has warned Turkey about its dependence on Russia, which now supplies 60% of the country’s gas and 20 percent of its oil. But by developing these plans, Ankara hopes Moscow will become just as dependent on Turkey as a transit route.

The pipeline currently pumps 3.2 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas a year and has a capacity to pump 16 bcm. Russia could supply all of Turkey’s natural gas needs if Blue Stream were at full capacity, which it could be in several years, and Turkey continued importing additional natural gas through a Russian pipeline that runs through Bulgaria.

On the other side of the world, the US has shown worry about both Russia’s increased importance as gas exporter and about the fact that these oil pipelines pass through the former cold war adversary.