13/11/2015 (Agence Europe) - French energy group Engie's stake in Nord Stream 2 rises to 10%. At a ceremony celebrating the 40th anniversary of the signing of the first contract for the supply of Russian gas to France, in Saint Petersburg on Friday 13 November, Russian gas group Gazprom announced a slight restructuring of the shares within the consortium that is building the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline with French energy group Engie increasing its stake. At the ceremony, Gazprom chief Alexei Miller and Engie chief executive Gérard Mestrallet signed an addendum to the sales and purchase agreement for shares in the Nord Stream 2 joint project company, increasing Engie's stake from 9% to 10%. Gazprom will continue to be the main player, but its stake will fall from 51% to 50%. The stakes of the other companies involved remain unchanged: 10% each for E.ON and BASF-Wintershall (both Germany), OMV (Austria) and the Anglo-Dutch Royal Dutch Shell. Nord Stream 2 is seeking to double the capacity of the gas pipeline Nord Stream, which has been in service since 2012, from 55 to 110 billion cubic metres of gas per year. The new pipeline is scheduled to become operational by the end of 2019. (EH)