Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept. 26 / Trend , V.Zhavoronkova/
Disagreements between Russia and Turkmenistan on gas price led to the revision of Ashgabat's position on the Nabucco gas pipeline project, whose implementation thus becomes more real.
"Apparently, the resentment for the fact that Russia has for weeks refused to purchase the Turkmen gas, has led to quite seriously decision of the Turkmen leadership to support the Nabucco and work with China and with the same West," believes, Alexander Rahr, European Expert on Energy Affairs of the CIS.
Until recently, Turkmenistan has exported almost all of its gas to Russia, in the spring of this year, deliveries have been halted due to technical reasons - the accident occurred in the CAC gas pipeline. At this stage, Gazprom proposes conditions for the renegotiation of long-term contract, in particular, the value and volume.
Earlier, in September the Turkmen President said that the country can provide the Nabucco project with gas on its border.
"As Turkmenistan understood its importance, the Nabucco acquires the first real feature in the way of implementation. Earlier, this [the project] was disregarded in [Turkmenistan]," Director of the Russia-Eurasia Centre of German Foreign Policy Council, Rahr told Trend in a telephone conversation from Berlin.
According to the data provided by BP, the proved gas reserves in the country as of 1 January 2009 were estimated at 7.94 trillion cubic meters. Thus, the country has the fourth largest gas reserves after Russia, Iran and Qatar. Turkmenistan has one of the largest fields in the world - South Iolotan, the reserves of which in the past year ranged from 4 to 14 trillion cubic meters, according to British Gaffney Cline research firm.
The Nabucco project worth 7.9 billion euro will deliver Azerbaijani and Central Asian gas to the EU. Nabucco shareholders are the Austrian OMV, Hungarian MOL, Bulgarian Bulgargaz, Romanian Transgaz, Turkish Botas and German RWE with 16.67 percent each
Construction of the pipeline is expected to begin in 2011 and the first supplies - in 2014. Its maximum capacity will be 31 billion cubic meters per year. An investment solution on the project will be made in the first quarter of 2010.
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