The project on interconnecting the national gas transport systems of Romania and Bulgaria, on Giurgiu – Ruse route was launched in 2011 and should have been completed two years later, but the deadline for the launch of the project was extended due to technical issues.
The works on the pipeline started back in 2012.
“The significant technical issues faced during the drilling operations (…), which were mainly generated by the unpredictable configuration of the geological structure (…) led to important delays and the impossibility of the association of constructors to complete the works, thus the two beneficiaries, natural gas transporters Transgaz and Bulgartransgaz, decided to rescind the works agreement,” Transgaz representatives stated.
According to Transgaz, the onshore segments of the project have been finalized in both countries, while the works completed on the Romanian territory totaled EUR6.7 million, of the total estimated EUR10.9 million.
The total estimated value of the project is EUR 24 million, while EUR8.9 million will come from the European Commission. Bulgartransgaz will invest EUR14 million in the project.
The pipeline has a total length of approximately 25 km, of which 15.4 km on Bulgarian territory, 5.2 km on Romanian territory and 4.14 km undercrossing the Danube.
The maximum capacity of the interconnector is 1.5 billion cubic meters a year from Bulgaria to Romania and 500 million cubic meters a year from Romania to Bulgaria.