Min: Russia may lay gas pipe to Greece via Turkey, Bulgaria

ATHENS, May 27 (PRIME) -- A new Black Sea natural gas pipeline from Russia to Greece may be laid though Bulgaria or Turkey, but not via Romania, and final proposals for the route are to be made by the European Commission, Energy Minister Alexander Novak told reporters Friday.

“Taking into account an agreement and a signed memorandum on possibilities to study construction of the Poseidon pipeline, there can be different routes for transportation of gas to the infrastructure, including options through Turkey or Bulgaria,” he said, adding that the route via Romania is not under discussion.

No specific decisions have been made yet, he said. The European Commission is to make final suggestions as it is engaged in development of the future of European infrastructure. “We are ready to supply gas and we have capabilities to increase volumes in accordance with previously developed data on the Southern route,” Novak said.

Construction of the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) does not rule out implementation of new Russian projects in the region, he also said.

“Speaking of the TAP, I can say that this is a rather insignificant amount for Europe, this only covers not more than 10 billion cubic meters, and only in the future, by 2019. It is obvious that the European consumer demands more gas and diversification of supplies. So, even if the project is implemented, it still does not rule out necessity and possibility of implementation of projects that we are discussing with our Greek and Italian partners,” he said.

In February, Russian gas giant Gazprom signed a memorandum with Italy’s Edison and Greece’s DEPA on gas supplies from Russia to Greece and from Greece to Italy. The companies will use infrastructure plans developed under the earlier Poseidon project.

In April, Novak said that a capacity of the Poseidon’s land part will reach 9–16 billion cubic meters per year, while a capacity of the deep-water part under the Ionian Sea will reach 10–12 billion cubic meters.

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