In a sudden about-turn, Russian gas giant Gazprom has cancelled several tenders for construction of more than 400km of a gas trunk pipeline needed for the planned Nord Stream II project, according to documents posted on a government procurement website.

It has thus far been the aim of Nord Stream II, led by Gazprom, to increase Russian natural gas exports to Europe by doubling the amount of gas Russia sends to Germany under the Baltic Sea.

Gazprom cancelled one tender for building a section of the Ukhta-Torzhok 2 trunk pipeline on December 30 and cancelled three more on January 11. It was not immediately clear why Gazprom had cancelled the tenders, worth some 13 billion roubles (€ 153 million), according to documents Gazprom posted on the government procurement website http://zakupki.gov.ru.