Russian state-ruled company Gazprom and Italian Eni have signed a memorandum to construct and maintain a new pipeline (South Stream), which is to be laid on the Black Sea floor, for gas supplies to Italy.
      
      The memorandum fixes the order of cooperation between the two companies and implies technical and economic substantiation of the pipeline construction to be prepared. The total length of the underwater part of South Stream will be 900 kilometres and the max depth of laying the pipeline will exceed 2000 metres.
      The Italian gas market is he third biggest in Europe yielding to the British and German only. The country imports 86% of gas with Russia and Algeria as the major suppliers.
      
      sources:
      www.lenta.ru
      www.grani.ru