TurkStream gas pipeline says Netherlands withdraws licence, to continue gas exports

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Russian-owned operator of the TurkStream gas pipeline said on Thursday that the Netherlands had withdrawn its export licence, but it will continue gas transportation, adding that it had requested the resumption of the license.

Russia and Turkey formally launched TurkStream with capacity of 31.5 billion cubic metres per year in January 2020. The pipeline, which allows Moscow to bypass Ukraine as a transit route to Europe, carries Russian natural gas to southern Europe through the Black Sea and Turkey.

South Stream Transport B.V., a subsidiary of Kremlin-controlled Gazprom, is the Dutch-based operator of the offshore portion of the pipeline. South Stream said the Netherlands withdrew the export licence on Sept. 18 amid wider sanctions from the European Union.

"The introduction of new sanctions does not restrict the continuation of gas transportation by South Stream Transport B.V. In this regard, the gas supply of various industries and millions of households in Turkey and European countries will not be affected in the short and long term, it said."

(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)