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Gas Interconnections of Bulgaria with Serbia, Romania and Greece

Date: March 4^th 2010 Author: Anastasiya Georgieva Aleksandrova, Sofia Category: Articles
Topic: Natural gas

Major issue in front of the SEE regional cooperation and strategy are the interconnectors of the countries which are being developed. While Turkey and Greece are connected by pipeline and have diversified their gas supplies, Bulgaria and Serbia for example receive gas only through 1 pipeline and are crucially dependent on import. Interconnectors were discussed during Sofia Energy Forum held on Tuesday in Sofia and attended by numerous international professionals and government officials from the energy field.

Bratislav Ceperkovic, Counsellor at the Office of the First Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia clarified the possible energy corridor between Constanta - Trieste. He noted that this corridor’s purpose is to diversify energy supplies because only Bulgaria and Serbia have one pipeline for gas supply while other neighbouring countries have more options. He expressed his satisfaction that Romania has already started to develop the project which will activate the process.

PHOTO: iStockphoto

He outlined problems regarding Serbia’s regional connections and more specifically the bad economic state of Serbia. He noted that the unemployment rate in Serbia is 18 or even up to 20 % and Serbia cannot afford to practically develop energy markets.

He mentioned the Bulgarian-Serbian agreement that will be signed on Friday as a very important step towards the development of the regional connections, having in mind the very bad condition of the distribution network on the Bulgarian-Serbian border.

Ioan Rusu, head of state controlled gas operator Transgas described gas situation in the country as relatively good, not only because of the Romania’s natural resources but also because of supply from three pipelines through which they receive up to 26 cubic meters of gas. He noted the interconnection with Hungarian system which will have a capacity of 4.4 billion cubic meters of gas and is 109 km long.

Regarding the gas connection of Ruse – Giurgiu, he expressed hope that it will be completed by 2012. The pipeline will have a capacity of 1.5 billion cubic meters of gas, operating capacity of 1.5 billion cubic meters and minimum capacity of 0.4 million cubic meters. A back up pipeline will be constructed, along with the two gas metering stations.

PHOTO: Ion Preasca

The Greek representative expressed satisfaction that Greece has already diversified its gas supply as it is receiving gas from Russia, Turkey and Algeria. He expressed his opinion that the energy market will experience quite high growth in the coming years, up to 7-8 billion cubic meters.

He noted that an interconnection already exists between Greece and Turkey, with the capacity of 12 billion cubic meters of gas, while gas consumption is less than 1 billion cubic meters now, Greece is having negotiations with Bulgarian Energy holding and also with other partners from Italy for another pipeline of 3-5 billion cubic meters which will be decided upon at the end of the year.

He admitted that there are plans for another connection in Northern Greece but the question is what the Balkan Peninsula will do with so much gas. There are plans with Italy for a pipeline of 11 billion cubic meter capacity for which the decision will also be made by the end of the year.

Therefore, he noted that Greece will play a very significant role as it has two major avenues i.e. an avenue towards the Balkans and an avenue towards Italy.

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