Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 3 /Trend, S.Agayeva, A.Badalova/
Hungary is interested in diversifying sources of import of the energy resources and ready to import energy from Azerbaijan, Hungarian ambassador to Azerbaijan Zsolt Chutora said in an interview with Trend.
"Currently, we import very little energy resources from Azerbaijan. But we are ready to increase imports," said Chutora.
According to him, Hungary expects Azerbaijani gas in two routes: the Nabucco gas pipeline and AGRI (Azerbaijan-Georgia-Romanian Interconnector).
Hungarian MOL Company, with 16.67 percent share, is a shareholder in the Nabucco pipeline project designed to transport gas from the Caspian region and the Middle East to the EU. Other shareholders of the project worth 7.9 billion euros are Austrian OMV, Bulgarian Bulgargaz, Romanian Transgaz, Turkish Botas and German RWE.
Chutora expressed hope that 2011 will be important for these projects.
"It is expected to make major decisions: for example, decisions on the operation of the second phase of Shah Deniz field, contracts with purchasers of gas from Shah Deniz, investment decisions of shareholders of the Nabucco project, a decision on AGRI project, based on the analysis of feasibility studies," Chutora said.
One of the main sources of gas for the Nabucco project is considered major Azerbaijani gas field Shah Deniz, with reserves of 1.2 trillion cubic meters of gas. Construction of the pipeline is scheduled for 2012 and first deliveries are expected to be made in 2015.
In mid-2011, partners to develop the Shah Deniz field plans to sign contracts for the sale of gas from the second stage of project development.
In 2011, it is also expected to make a final investment decision on the Nabucco project, which will follow immediately after the signing of contracts with gas suppliers.
The AGRI project envisages transporting Azerbaijani gas via pipelines to the Black Sea coast of Georgia, where the gas will be liquefied at a special terminal. The gas will then be delivered to a terminal at the Romanian port of Constanta via tankers. Later, the liquefied gas will be brought into the state of natural gas and will be directed towards covering the needs of Romania and other European countries.
The largest part of the demand for gas in Hungary is covered through imports. According to BP, the gas demand in Hungary in 2009 amounted to 10.1 billion cubic meters, which is 14.3 percent less than demand in 2008. Currently, about 80 percent of gas consumed in the country is imported from Russia.