EastMed: The pipeline project in next phase of studies
- Written by E.Tsiliopoulos
The IGI Poseidon Consortium is plannig the next phase of the East Med pipeline, designed to transfer natural gas from the Eastern Mediterranean resources through Cyprus, Crete and mainland Greece.
These are studies concerning the formation of the seabed, environmental and engineering issues, as project studies have shown that they are technically and commercially viable and competitive.
Information on developments in relation to the pipeline provided to Brussels, to the EU Directorate General for Energy, Milos Momot, who also referred to the technical difficulties of the project given the great depth of the sea in the region from which it passes.
The pipeline has been included in the list of so-called Projects of Common Interest in the EU energy sector and has already received funding of 34.5 million euros to cover part of the cost of the studies.
With regard to TAP, which is also part of the Southern Gas Corridor and included in the PCI list, the timetable foresees the completion of the construction in 2020. The pipeline will transfer gas from the Greek-Turkish border via Albania to Italy, originally from Azerbaijan and in the next phase probably from Turkmenistan.
The list of PCIs is reviewed every two years, and consultations are currently taking place in the European Commission on the preparation of the new list of projects to be finalized in the autumn of 2019. Projects of common interest are aimed at strengthening cross-border interconnections, security of supply, the achievement of the EU's objectives to tackle climate change. The summary of a project on the PCI list implies faster licensing and funding from Community funds.
