OREANDA-NEWS. Gazprom expects to start gas supplies via the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in October, at the latest in early November, experts commented to RIA Novosti.

Supplies via the Nord Stream 2 pipeline this year could total 5.6 billion cubic meters of gas, Gazprom said earlier Thursday.

"The announced figure indicates that gas supplies via the pipeline may begin as early as October," said Aleksey Belogoryev, deputy director for energy at the Institute of Energy and Finance.

At the same time, Maria Belova, research director at VYGON Consulting, believes that early November may be the latest date.

"According to our estimates, for the export of 5.6 billion cubic meters by the end of this year, gas supplies via Nord Stream 2 should begin no later than early November - in this case, daily gas pumping will reach the maximum possible values," the expert said.

Nord Stream 2 envisages the construction of two strings of a gas pipeline with a total capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year from the Russian coast through the Baltic Sea to Germany. The project is being implemented by Nord Stream 2 AG with the sole shareholder - Gazprom. European partners of the project are Royal Dutch Shell, OMV, Engie, Uniper and Wintershall.

Nord Stream 2 AG said it expects to finish laying the pipeline at the end of August. At the end of July, the company said that Nord Stream 2 was already 99% complete.