Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 21 / Trend A.Badalova/
Nabucco consortium continues supporting the project's original conception, which envisages the construction of the pipeline from Turkey's eastern borders to Austrian Baumgarten, Reinhard Mitschek, Managing Director, Nabucco Gas Pipeline International told Trend in a statement sent via e-mail on Tuesday.
"The Nabucco concept, whereby the pipeline travels from the Eastern borders of Turkey to Baumgarten in Austria continues to be our preferred option as it is a comprehensive solution for all parties involved," Mitschek said.
However, he said that the consortium is currently evaluating different scenarios in order to find the best solution for suppliers and transportation customers.
Nabucco gas pipeline project is designed to transport gas from the Caspian region and Middle East to the European countries. Gas to be produced during the second stage of Azerbaijani Shah Deniz gas condensate field development is considered as the main source for Nabucco.
Earlier this week Shah Deniz consortium's official representative told Trend that Nabucco submitted the project's new conception, according to which the pipeline will be laid from the Turkish-Bulgarian border to the Austrian Baumgarten. The original concept of Nabucco project envisaged the construction of the pipeline from the Georgian-Turkish and Iraqi-Turkish borders to Baumgarten. The pipeline was expected to run through Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria over a distance of 3,900 kilometres.
Shah Deniz consortium is currently considering three possible export routes - Nabucco, South East Europe Pipeline (SEEP) and TAP projects.
Mitschek said that the negotiations between Nabucco's shareholders and the Shah Deniz consortium are underway and no final decision has yet been made.
"The Nabucco pipeline project remains the most solid proposition to bolster both Turkey's and European countries' diversification of supply," Mitschek added.