Azerbaijan, Baku, July 28 / Trend S. Suleymanov /
Kazakh gas via Nabucco pipeline can not be delivered soon, because at this stage, Kazakhstan has needs for domestic gas. There are other routes for gas transportation, U.S. Special Envoy for Eurasian Energy, Richard Morningstar, said in Astana today.
He said that Kazakh gas can be transported to the West by developing Kashagan and Karachaganak fields, when much associated gas will be extracted with oil.
Morningstar said that the European Union is doing much to implement the Nabucco project.
"With all my respect to the Kazakh president, I can not agree with him, because I believe that the EU is doing much for the Nabucco project as well as all for "Southern Corridor"," Morningstar said.
Earlier this month, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said at a joint press conference with Chancellor Angela Merkel that the EU is doing little to implement "Nabucco" project.
The Nabucco gas pipeline project worth 7.9 billion euro envisages gas supplies from the Caspian region to EU countries.
Construction is planned to launch in 2011, with first supplies being commissioned in 2014.
Today, Azerbaijan, Iraq and Turkmenistan are considered as the main suppliers of gas for the project. In particular, one of the sources in the first phase of the project is gas extracted during the second stage of development of Shah-Deniz field.
Nabucco shareholders are the Austrian OMV, Hungarian MOL, Bulgarian Bulgargaz, Romanian Transgaz, Turkish Botas and German RWE. Each has an equal 16.67-percent share.