Talks about French utility GDF Suez SA (GSZ.FR) joining the Nord Stream pipeline project are advancing well, Chief Executive Gerard Mestrallet said Thursday.
Mestrallet made the remark on a conference call with reporters.
Russia's OAO Gazprom (GAZP.RS) holds a 51% stake in Nord Stream, and operates the project, which involves building a gas pipeline from Russia under the Baltic Sea to Europe.
Germany's Wintershall, a subsidiary of BASF (BAS.XE), and E.ON AG (EOAN.XE) control 20% each, with the remaining 9% belonging to the Netherlands' Nederlandse Gasunie NV.