BP PLC and its
partners in the Shah Deniz gas field have selected the Nabucco West pipeline concept over the BP-backed South East
Europe Pipeline as one of the two final options to be considered when the
consortium decides on a route to pipe Caspian gas to Europe
next year.
Nabucco West will now be paired off in a two-horse race with
the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline, known as TAP, for the right to export gas from the
giant Shah Deniz development offshore Azerbaijan. A final decision is due
in 2013.
"This represents another important milestone in the development of Shah
Deniz Stage 2 and the transportation of gas resources from the Caspian to Europe," said BP regional head, Rashid Javanshir.
Nabucco is a joint venture involving Germany's RWE AG, Austrian oil firm OMV AG and Hungary's Mol Nyrt. Other partners
include Bulgargaz EAD, Transgaz SA and Boru Hatlari ile Petrol Tasima AS. TAP
is planned by EGL AG, Statoil ASA and E.ON Ruhrgas AG.