Nabucco or No Nabucco ?
Nabucco or No Nabucco ?
Experts do not presume the Nabucco natural gas pipeline project, planned for 2015, to be implemented before 2017. Besides regional factors concerning Russia and Iran, the impression that Turkey is using the project against Europe is one of the concerns about the project.
The project has been discussed for years and laid on the table with all details. The purpose of the project was to meet the energy needs of continental Europe by transporting the natural gas from the Caspian Sea, Turkmenistan and Federal Kurdistan Region to Europe. The partners of the Nabucco project, which is one of the most important projects in recent history and takes its name from Babylonian king Nabuketnezar, are Turkish BOTAS, Bulgarian Bulgargaz, Romanian Transgaz, Hungarian MOL, Austrian OMW and German RWE companies.
The European Union is very interested in the project, as shown by European Commission President Barroso different trips to Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. However the project is constantly facing new obstacles.
The cost of the 3900-kilometer pipe line project is gradually increasing. One recent development was the announcement by Austrian OMW authorities that the costs will levitate to 14 billion Euro as more pipes will be required to be laid down than previously estimated. The project’s German partner RWE’s administrator Jeremy Ellis says; “We are talking about taking 80 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year from Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Iraq. Our task is not easy at all”.
Nabucco is the new gas bridge from Asia to Europe and the flagship project in the Southern Corridor. It will be a pipeline to connect the world’s richest gas regions - the Caspian region, Middle East and Egypt - to the European consumer markets.
The pipeline will link the Eastern border of Turkey, to Baumgarten in Austria - one of the most important gas turntables in Central Europe - via Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary. When completed the 3,900 km pipeline’s annual capacity will be 31 bcm. The construction of the pipeline is supported by the 2009 Intergovernmental Agreement signed in Ankara in July 2009, which harmonises the legal framework and grants stable and equal transport conditions for all partners and customers.
It is widely acknowledged that Central and Western Europe will face a considerable shortfall in its energy supply over the next two decades, with gas prices expected to increase as domestic production declines. Consequently, it is crucial that new infrastructure be established to meet further demand and ensure both security of supply and supply diversification.
The main pipeline, if the schedule remain the same, will be built in one phase from Ankara to Baumgarten. Construction will start end of 2012, with the first gas flowing end of 2015.
The project has been discussed for years and laid on the table with all details. The purpose of the project was to meet the energy needs of continental Europe by transporting the natural gas from the Caspian Sea, Turkmenistan and Federal Kurdistan Region to Europe. The partners of the Nabucco project, which is one of the most important projects in recent history and takes its name from Babylonian king Nabuketnezar, are Turkish BOTAS, Bulgarian Bulgargaz, Romanian Transgaz, Hungarian MOL, Austrian OMW and German RWE companies.
The European Union is very interested in the project, as shown by European Commission President Barroso different trips to Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. However the project is constantly facing new obstacles.
The cost of the 3900-kilometer pipe line project is gradually increasing. One recent development was the announcement by Austrian OMW authorities that the costs will levitate to 14 billion Euro as more pipes will be required to be laid down than previously estimated. The project’s German partner RWE’s administrator Jeremy Ellis says; “We are talking about taking 80 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year from Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Iraq. Our task is not easy at all”.
Nabucco is the new gas bridge from Asia to Europe and the flagship project in the Southern Corridor. It will be a pipeline to connect the world’s richest gas regions - the Caspian region, Middle East and Egypt - to the European consumer markets.
The pipeline will link the Eastern border of Turkey, to Baumgarten in Austria - one of the most important gas turntables in Central Europe - via Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary. When completed the 3,900 km pipeline’s annual capacity will be 31 bcm. The construction of the pipeline is supported by the 2009 Intergovernmental Agreement signed in Ankara in July 2009, which harmonises the legal framework and grants stable and equal transport conditions for all partners and customers.
It is widely acknowledged that Central and Western Europe will face a considerable shortfall in its energy supply over the next two decades, with gas prices expected to increase as domestic production declines. Consequently, it is crucial that new infrastructure be established to meet further demand and ensure both security of supply and supply diversification.
The main pipeline, if the schedule remain the same, will be built in one phase from Ankara to Baumgarten. Construction will start end of 2012, with the first gas flowing end of 2015.
