BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb.12
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
The construction process of the IGB project is in its active phase and work continues despite the globally challenging situation related to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, Trend reports with reference to ICGB AD.
All stakeholders are dedicated to optimizing the process in order to complete the pipeline. The interconnector is part of the Vertical Gas Corridor (Greece – Bulgaria - Romania – Hungary), providing access to natural gas from the Southern Gas Corridor and LNG to South Eastern and Central Europe as well as Ukraine.
Currently, the contract for production and delivery of line pipes for the purposes of the project is fully completed. 160 km of the entire route have been cleared and there are over 130 km of stringing. Welding continues and 100 km of welded pipeline will be reached within the next few days. The Greek company Avax, which is responsible for the design, procurement and construction of the interconnector, plans to complete the pipeline at the end of 2021.
The IGB Project is being implemented by the joint venture company ICGB AD, registered in Bulgaria in 2011, with shareholders BEH EAD (50%) and IGI Poseidon (50%). The co-shareholder IGI Poseidon is a company, registered in Greece, with shareholders being the Greek public gas corporation DEPA SA (50%) and the Italian energy group Edison SpA (50%).
In accordance with its Statute, ICGB AD will be the owner of the IGB gas pipeline and will finance its realization, will allocate its capacity and will receive the revenue from the transportation of natural gas.
The IGB gas pipeline will be connected with the Greek national gas transmission system in the area of Komotini and with the Bulgarian national gas transmission system in the area of Stara Zagora. The planned length of the pipeline is 182 km, the pipeline diameter will be 32” and the projected capacity will be up to 3 bcm/y in the direction from Greece to Bulgaria. Depending on the interest from the market and the capacities of the neighboring gas transmission systems, the pipeline is designed for increasing its capacity up to 5 bcm/y for following up the market evolution thus allowing physical reverse flow (from Bulgaria to Greece) with the additional installation of a compressor station. A Memorandum for cooperation between ICGB AD and TAP AG has been signed concerning joint actions in relation to future connection between the IGB pipeline and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline.
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