Nabucco organizers await gas export guarantees from Turkmenistan

TURKMENBASHI, Turkmenistan, May 26 (Itar-Tass) - Nabucco gas pipeline
project organizers are awaiting guarantees of the export of gas to Europe
from Turkmenistan in order to begin to make investments in the project.
Michael Dieter-Ulbrich, head of the department of international
pipeline projects of the OMV Gas & Power Company, in his remarks at the
2nd Gas Congress of Turkmenistan, said, "Prior to the beginning of the
'open season Nabucco', scheduled for the end of 2011, it is required that
an acceptable concept of the export of Turkmenistan-produced gas be
adopted".
The second day of the forum proceedings began on Thursday with a
discussion of matters concerning the transportation of Turkmenistan's gas
to the world markets. The Congress is taking place in the territory of the
National tourist zone Avaza on the Caspian Sea coast.
The Austrian OMV Company is one of parties to the Nabucco Gas Pipeline
International GmbH consortium. Nabucco is to run in circumvention of
Russia from Central Asia to European Union countries, to Austria and
Germany, first of all. Consortium members are gas companies of six
countries -- Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Austria, and Germany.
"It is precisely now Turkmenistan has more possibilities than ever
before to make decisions without delay and manifest activity," the
Austrian businessman pointed out, expressing the opinion of the gas
pipeline consortium. He referred this call not only to determination by
Ashgabat of the amount of natural gas for Europe but also to the start of
implementation of the project for a Trans-Caspian gas pipeline (TCT).
"There are no legal obstacles to the construction of TCT," Michael
Dieter-Ulrich maintains. Speaking of priorities in the development of the
Nabucco project, the Austrian businessman mentioned the conclusion of an
intergovernmental agreement on TCT between Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan,
and an agreement on the supply of at least 10 billion cubic metres of gas
to European consumers, as well as the preparation of a feasibility study
and cost analysis of TCT to specify risks, work schedule and capital
expenses. "The potential scope of supply of gas via the Southern corridor
and TCT is known but specific amount of gas to be supplied must be
guaranteed," the OMV executive emphasized.
"The signing soon of Project Support Agreements, the talks on which
have been already completed, will be a significant event in expediting the
(implementation of the) project," the OMV & Power departmental chief said.