Kazakhstan, Astana, Oct. 28 / Trend K. Konyrova /
Turkmenistan is unwilling to deteriorate its relations with Russia because of the Nabucco project, U.S. analyst, Jamestown Senior Fellow Vladimir Socor, believes.
Nabucco is mainly focused on natural gas from Azerbaijan, Iraq and Egypt. Small amounts of gas will be provided from Central Asia, especially from Turkmenistan, Socor told journalists in Astana on Oct.28.
Turkmenistan does not intend to damage the Turkmen-Russian relations for the small volumes of gas, which Nabucco provides it," Socor said.
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.
According to BP, in early 2009 proven gas reserves of Turkmenistan amounted to 7.94 trillion cubic meters which comprised 4.3 percent of the world reserves.
In 2008, the country's gas production amounted to 66.1 billion cubic meters, which is higher by 0.7 percent compared to 2007, BP reported.
According to BP, in early 2009 Azerbaijan's proven gas reserves amounted 1.2 trillion cubic meters, Iraq's 3.17 trillion and Egypt's 2.17 trillion cubic meters.
Azerbaijan and Iraq are expected to supply about 16 billion cubic meters of gas to Nabucco that would be sufficient to implement the first phase of the project. Further, the Turkmen gas will be involved in the project to bring the pipeline's capacity to 31 billion cubic.
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