Turkmenistan interested in AGRI project

Turkmenistan expressed interest in the Azerbaijan-Georgia-Romani Interconnector (AGRI) project, aimed at transport liquefied gas over the Black Sea coast of Georgia to Romania, Presidents of Turkmenistan and Romania Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Traian Basescu said, Trend reports.

Berdimuhamedov has been on a visit to Bucharest on May 11-13.

They noted the importance of Turkmen gas and its transport via the Nabucco and AGRI projects. The presidents support diversification of energy resources and their transport. The sides agreed on further development of mutually beneficial partnership.

The declaration on AGRI was signed in Baku on September 14, 2010. Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and Hungary are realizing the project. Expenses of the project vary from 1.2 billion to 4.5 billion euro.

Gas will be transported to the Black Sea coast of Georgia, liquefied there and taken to Romania’s Constanta port via tankers. It will then be converted into natural gas and used by European states.

Turkmenistan is expected to become the main gas supplier, transporting gas through the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan and then to Europe.

Joining Nabucco requires construction of a 300-km branch to Azerbaijan.

Nabucco pipeline construction was planned to start in 2012, first gas supplies – for 2015. The terms were shifted. Construction is to start in 2013. The pipeline will be 3900 km long with a cap of 31 billion cubic meters. The project is realized by OMV (Austria), MOL (Hungary), Bulgargaz (Bulgaria), Transgaz (Romania), Botas (Turkey) and RWE (Germany). Iraq is a potential gas supplier.

Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and Hungary signed the protocol on realization of the AGRI project on February 14. The document underlines support of companies participating in inviting financing for preparation of the feasibility study. They also plan intense work on finding the shortest way for Azerbaijani gas to the European market, establishment of the Romania-Hungary inter-connector (Arad-Sheged).

ROMGAZ (Romania), Georgian oil and gas corporation, SOCAR (State Oil Company of the Azerbaijani Republic) and MVM are members of the joint-stock company. Each has a 25% share.