Mediafax
Russian natural-gas firm Gazprom has invited Romanian state-run gas pipeline operator Transgaz (TGN.RO) to join the South Stream project, Romania's Economy Minister Adriean Videanu said today (Thurs).
"I know that Transgaz was invited (to join South Stream). Romgaz can't take part (in the project)," Videanu replied when asked if state-owned gas producer Romgaz had been invited to join the pipeline project.
Gazprom said yesterday that Romania was interested in taking part in the project developed by the Russian company together with Italy's Eni.
"The Romanian party confirmed its interest in participating in the South Stream project and provided the Russian party with data requested earlier that are required to prepare a feasibility study for a possible pipeline route across Romania," Gazprom said in a press release posted on its website.
Gazprom plans to construct a pipeline across the Black Sea to deliver gas to Southern and Central European countries. The capacity of the offshore section of South Stream will be as much as 63 billion cubic metres a year.
According to Gazprom, intergovernmental agreements for the project have been signed with Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Greece and Slovenia. A similar inter-governmental agreement is to be signed with Austria.
Romania has also agreed to participate in the Nabucco project, which is expected to help European countries reduce dependence on Russian natural-gas.
The Nabucco pipeline, which it has been estimated will cost around eight billion Euros, will deliver approximately 31 billion cubic meters of gas annually from the Caspian Sea to Central Europe via Turkey and Romania, bypassing Russia.
Nabucco's shareholders are Austrian oil and gas producer OMV, Romania's Transgaz, German RWE, Hungary's MOL, Bulgaria’s Bulgargaz and Turkey's Botas.
Romanian Times