ANKARA - Construction of natural gas pipeline between Turkey and Greece is expected to start through the end of this year.
Issuing a statement on Thursday, the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources said that Turkish Pipeline Transportation Corp (Botas) Director General Mehmet Bilgic and Greek Public Gas Corporation SA (DEPA) Executive Board Chairman Raphael Moissis had met in Istanbul last week and they had reviewed preparations for Turkey-Greece natural gas pipeline construction and estimated trade volume.
The statement said the sides had agreed to use pipes of 36 inches in diameter, setting out the starting date of construction.
It said that studies in the Turkish and Greek territories would start simultaneously and advance through the west in Greece and through the east in Turkey.
EU donation financed the fifty percent cost of the feasibility and engineering etudes of the Turkey-Greece Natural Gas Pipeline Project which was initiated under interconnection of natural gas networks between Turkey and Greece and realization of first phase of Southern Europe Gas Ring.
Regarding the project, Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler and Greek Development Minister Demetris Sioufas signed natural gas trade agreement in Ankara on February 23, 2003.
Under the project, the pipeline will be 300 kilometers in total length _ 209 km part of it will be on Turkish border _ is planned to be finalized in 2006. Under the agreement, transfer will start at 750 million cubic meters gas.
Meanwhile, studies are underway on extension of this pipeline to Italy.
(MS-AÖ) 10.06.2004