Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 5 / Trend A.Badalova/
The pre-qualification process for steel pipe producers for Nabucco West gas pipeline has been launched, Nabucco Gas Pipeline International GmbH reported.
According to the report, pre-qualification precedes the launch of a tender and allows the project to identify suppliers meeting the project's needs.
"The launch of this pre-qualification process is yet another step towards ensuring that Nabucco is ready to meet the gas delivery schedules of the Shah Deniz Consortium," Nabucco Gas Pipeline International GmbH reported.
Nabucco West is a short-cut version of Nabucco project, which envisages construction of the pipeline from the Turkish-Bulgarian border to Austria.
The project's current shareholders are Bulgarian Energy Holding, Romanian Transgaz, Turkish Botas, Austrian OMV, German RWE and Hungary's FGSZ. Gas to be produced within the second phase of Azerbaijani Shah Deniz gas condensate field development is considered as the main source for the project.
In June, 2012 the consortium of Azerbaijani Shah Deniz gas field development chose Nabucco West as the single pipeline option for the potential export of Shah Deniz Stage 2 gas to Central Europe. The final decision on the pipeline route to transport Azerbaijani gas to Europe will be made in June, 2013.