Russia's new oil export route forces hard choices

Russia is not producing enough oil to fill a new $4 billion pipeline to the Baltic, which is meant to cut reliance on export routes via neighbouring states, without making hard choices about flows through other outlets.
Diverting exports from other routes would risk losing market share to rival OPEC producers or harming ties with key energy partner Germany.
Russia decided on the BTS-2 pipeline to its own Baltic ports after a pricing spat with Minsk disrupted flows via the Druzhba link through Belarus in early 2007. Construction began in June.
The aim is to keep exporting even if future disputes block links across transit states.
Guardian