Bulgaria and Turkey will sign a political
agreement to build a gas pipeline connection between the two countries
for emergency gas deliveries from Turkey to Bulgaria.
During the Black Sea Energy and Economy Forum in Istanbul, Bulgaria's Economy
and Energy Minister,Traicho Traikov, and Turkish Energy and Natural Resources
Minister, Taner Yıldız, have successfully negotiated plans for the pipeline,
and agreed this was a strategic project for both countries, the Bulgarian
Economy, Energy and Tourism Ministry reports Saturday.
Traikov and Yildiz discussed the results of the work of the
expert group which is studying and assessing the technical and commercial
aspects of transport of natural gas through Turkey to Bulgaria.
The Bulgarian-Turkish gas pipeline, along with the
interconnector from Greece, will provide deliveries of Caspian "blue
fuel" not only for Bulgaria, but for the entire region, and cheaper
deliveries through a liquefied gas (LNG) terminal.
The 77-km pipe will have a capacity of between 1 to 3
billion cubic meters ofgasa year, which could later be doubled.
Traikov says the agreement has great importance because it
means diversification of sources and routes, competition among suppliers
and cheaper gas prices, stressing the investment is relatively small,
but benefits - huge for both Bulgaria and the entire region. He was
firm the political agreement must give companies warrantees the project is a
strategic one, and would be executed in the next few years.
His Turkish counterpart informed him about the endorsed
package of agreements for the transit of natural gas between Turkey and Azerbaijan,
which opens doors for Azerigas in Europe.
The forum will also debate the future of the EU Nabucco gas pipeline project
and the new project of the Shah Denis consortium for a gas pipeline which
could use the circle-shaped Bulgarian gas network through
interconnectors with neighboring countries.
Traikov and Yildiz agreed on an accelerated signing of the
agreement for emergency deliveries of gas fromTurkey to Bulgariavia
already existing gas pipeline as an additional reaction
mechanism during a possible gas crisis over interruption of
deliveries from other suppliers.