Construction of Bulgaria-Turkey Gas Link to Start in 2013

Bulgaria seeks to develop the Nabucco West gas pipeline project in two phases, according to Economy and Energy Minister Delyan Dobrev.

In a Monday interview for the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR), Dobrev announced that the first phase of the project would be the Bulgaria-Turkey gas grid interconnection, adding that the construction of the pipe was expected to start in the beginning of 2013.

He also said that it was possible to include the pipeline section from the Bulgarian border to Turkey's Marmaris in the TANAP (Trans-Anatolia Natural Gas Pipeline Project) project.

Bulgaria's Economy and Energy Minister specified that the gas pipeline was meant to carry gas from the Shah Deniz 2 field and Azerbaijan through Turkey to Europe.

He said that the route of the gas pipeline was expected to start at the Turkey-Georgia border.

Dobrev reminded that there had been no road map for the Bulgaria-Turkey gas grid interconnection until recently.

He made clear that the construction of the Bulgaria-Turkey gas link would take one year and a few months.

Meanwhile, Bulgarian Trud daily reported Monday that the European Commission (EC) would help Bulgaria in the talks with Turkey for the construction of the new gas link between the two countries.

According to the Bulgarian mass-circulation daily, citing sources from Bulgaria's Ministry of Economy, Energy, and Tourism, the talks would enable the construction of the pipeline section on Turkish territory.

Trud noted that the Bulgarian section of the gas interconnection was to become part of the Nabucco West project in four years' time, adding that Turkey had not yet voiced agreement for the construction of the pipe on its territory, neither for the gas supplies.

Delyan Dobrev argued that the expansion of the gas pipeline would have to coincide with the development of the Shah Deniz 2 field in Azerbaijan.