Nabucco Ponders Extensions

The countries already signed up in support of the Nabucco West project have declared that the pipeline could also supply the Western Balkans and the Visegrad group of countries.

Visegrad comprises Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary.

The Nabucco consortium held a meeting in Bucharest Monday, where it was welcomed warmly by the government of Victor Ponta. Prime Minister Ponta said Nabucco represented "an important opportunity", for his country and all the others involved.

In a statement on the Nabucco website, the governments of Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey said the Nabucco pipeline had the potential to provide gas for energy markets in numerous countries, including Serbia, Croatia, and countries of southern Europe

The State Parties called on the European Council, meeting Wednesday in Brussels, to address the completion of the Internal Energy Market, and to note Nabucco's wider potential as a source of gas for promoting growth and competition at the European level.

After the Nabucco Committee, the five key countries said they were committed to developing the necessary gas interconnections "to ensure that Nabucco can also supply the countries in the southern and central-north dimension of Europe."

Nabucco meanwhile continues its efforts to become the Southern Corridor gas link of choice.

The main Nabucco pipeline (knokwn as Nabucco West after the original plan was modified to start at the Turkey-Bulgaria border) would transport gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field and other sources through Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary to Austria.

The decision on whether Nabucco or the rival Trans-Adriatic Pipeline will get the contract is to be made by the end of June.

See also: Nabucco Chalks Up Big Interest from Shipping Companies