The European Commission should reconsider the positive aspects of the Nord Stream II natural gas pipeline project for Europe's supply security, Manfred Leitner, member of the executive board of Austria's international, integrated oil and gas company, OMV, said Tuesday.
Leitner, speaking during the European Gas Conference in Austrian capital Vienna, said that Russia's Gazprom has supplied and continues to transfer stable, uninterrupted natural gas to Europe.
'Security of gas supply is crucial, and Gazprom brings it,' he argued.
'It means gas to heat houses, schools, hospitals and for European energy. The gas comes safely and at an affordable price,' Leitner said.
He urged those critical and skeptical of Russia to reevaluate their strategy given that Europe's domestic gas production is in decline while demand in Europe is on the rise.
'If you look to Russia, they have the largest natural gas reserves in the world. In order to gain security of supply we have a chance to be directly linked to the biggest reserves of gas,' he asserted.
He added that, 'obviously cyclical connection to these gas reserves is through the Nord Stream II.'
Leitner said the project, which will carry Russian gas to Germany through the Baltic Sea, with a capacity of 55 billion cubic meters, is co-financed by five European companies, E.ON, Wintershall, Shell, OMV and Engie.
'This is a very big source of gas with a very big market,' he said.
The project is designed for Europe's energy supply security, he said, adding, 'I would like to ask the European Commission to see the positive objectives of this project.'
By Murat Temizer in Vienna
Anadolu Agency
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