Nabucco to wrap up shippers pre-registration prior to Azerbaijan’s decision
Nabucco Gas Pipeline International, which earlier in the week announced the launch of an open season process for capacity booking in the gas pipeline, said it plans to wrap up the pre-registration phase before Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz consortium makes a decision on the route by the end of June.
"The pre-registration phase for interested shippers giving a clear indication of the capacity utilisation will conclude before the end of June. The capacity booking and the conclusion of the contracts with shippers will naturally take place after the final route decision," Nabucco spokesperson Christian Dolezal told New Europe on May 9.
Currently the Shah Deniz Consortium is considering two options for transporting its gas to the European markets - Nabucco West and TAP.
The final decision on the pipeline route to transport Azerbaijani gas to Europe will be made in June.
Nabucco West is a short-cut version of Nabucco project, which provides for the construction of the pipeline from the Turkish-Bulgarian border to Austria. The project is proposed to connect with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Turkish-Bulgarian border, transiting Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania to the Central European Gas Hub in Baumgarten, Austria.
The project's current shareholders are Bulgarian Energy Holding, Romanian Transgaz, Turkish Botas, Austrian OMV and Hungary's FGSZ. Gas, which will be produced during the second stage of Azerbaijani Shah Deniz field development is considered as the main source for the project.