Onequarter of the gas consumed in the EU comes from Russia

It is now that is signed in Ankara the transit agreement of the Nabucco pipeline, designed to reduce a reliance on Russian gas which Europeans had fully perceived the effects the winter last following the sudden interruption of deliveries of Moscow. A cut, on the basis of financial dispute between the Russia and the Ukraine, which had imposed various measures of rationing, interruption of urban heating, reduction in activity of plants, mostly in Italy and in the Balkans. One-quarter of the gas consumed in the EU comes from Russia. Moscow, decidedly inclined to take a shot in the foot, had already cut the supply in 2006 and threatens to resume at any time if the Ukraine is slow to pay its bills. This will have contributed perhaps better than any lobbyist to convince European countries to speed up the negotiations for the construction of Nabucco, skating since their launch in 2002.

Opening planned for 2014

The pipeline of 3,300 kilometres and which will have a capacity of 31 billion cubic metres a year at his inauguration, scheduled for 2014, must move Europe gas from the Caspian Sea, bypassing a Russia often accused of wanting to use its own pipeline as a means of political pressure. This project is therefore eminently strategic, as illustrated by the presence at the ceremony of signature of the representative of the Secretary of State for energy, Richard Morningstar, and the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso.

The agreement between the Romania, the Turkey, the Austria, the Hungary and the Bulgaria is that the first political step in the site. It requires now, before the international consortium led by the Austrian OMV and German RWE does next year the first Pickaxe blow, mobilization, with the support of the European Commission and a participation of 2 billion euros from the Bank European investment funding estimated at 8 billion euros, an environmental impact study and, particularly, the signing of agreements for the supply of gas. It is in the main outstanding problem.

An uncertain supply

For the moment, only the Azerbaijan, already involved in the construction of pipelines so that its exports of hydrocarbons can reach Europe, bypassing the Russia committed to supply Nabucco. But its Shah Deniz field can provide that 4 billion metres cubic, far too little to the project. The gas would be the Kazakhstan, despite a few technical barriers, of Iraq, if the security continues to improve, and Iran, if one day its relations with European countries or their American ally to standardize. Turkmenistan, once exclusively linked to the Russia, but since little cold with the Kremlin, said he was finally ready, by the voice of its President, to join the project, but without precision. So that supply abundant and regular Nabucco is not at all guaranteed in the medium term. But competition is tough, as the Russia grows to the construction of cheaper options starting from home, including the South Stream. A project to which the Azerbaijan, attached to always keep two irons in the fire, announced last month consider participating. As the Turkey, which will take on its soil nearly two thirds of the pipeline (2,000 km), she gave up Friday to ask 15 of the gas in transit, but hopes to collect 50 of fees for transit, or 400 to 450 million euros a year.