Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 29
By Aygun Badalova - Trend:
The Transadriatic Pipeline (TAP) and Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (ICGB) - the company in charge of the development, financing and construction the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) - keep on cooperating on the projects' technical matters and schedule alignment, a TAP source told Trend.
In January, 2014, a Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation (MOUC) was signed between TAP and ICGB. The memorandum aimed at establishing the technical cooperation in order to further develop strategic infrastructure in the region. The MOUC allows for cooperation between the two companies who work together on a possible interconnection point in the vicinity of Komotini, Greece.
"As part of the cooperation agreement, we have a regular exchange with IGB on technical matters and alignment of schedule," the source said.
The source did not mention the exact dates for construction of IGB.
The construction of TAP is expected to start in 2016. Presumably, by the same year the construction of Greece-Bulgaria gas grid inter-connector will be already completed.
TAP will connect with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) near the Turkish-Greek border at Kipoi, cross Greece and Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in southern Italy. TAP can also supply Bulgaria by connecting to existing or planned infrastructure such as Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria.
Recently the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and Bulgaria's Bulgargaz signed a protocol of intentions. According to the Bulgarian media, the protocol envisages the beginning of negotiations on considering possibilities of earlier supplies of Azerbaijani gas to Bulgaria.
Earlier Bulgarian media reported that the country plans to start importing 200-300 million cubic meters of gas from Azerbaijan per year from 2016. It is expected that the final investment decision to construct a gas grid inter-connector between Greece and Bulgaria will be adopted in autumn of 2014.
The consumption of gas in Bulgaria amounted to about three bcm in 2013. Currently Bulgaria's only gas supplier is Russia.
Last year Bulgaria's gas import amounted to 2.5 bcm, all of which was supplied by Russia, according to Gazprom's data.
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