6 november 2016
On 4 November 2016 it was completed the pulling under the Danube river of the 2100 m DN 500 backup pipeline, the works being performed under the execution contract concluded with Inspet SA as the Leader and SC Habau PPS as the Associate, although the grant agreement and the execution contract foreseen 31.12.2016 as the completion deadline. Due to the advanced technology used, the successful technical solutions chosen and the specialist personnel involved, the execution works, the pressure tests, the tying in and commissioning of the pipeline will be completed by the end of November 2016, which is one month earlier than planned.
As of this date the main pipeline has been finalised, tested, accepted and commissioned, being created the technical conditions to ensure gas exports from Romania to Bulgaria. The regulating – metering stations on the territory of Romania and of Bulgaria were built and accepted in order to enable performance of the import and export activities following the signature of the Interconnection Agreement and the approval of the capacity booking methodology.
The Romania – Bulgaria interconnector was estimated to be achieved with a total cost of 23 million euro, of which 10.9 million euro allocated for the works on the Romanian territory and 12.8 million euros on the territory of Bulgaria. The indicative value of the grant for the implementation of the entire project amounts to 8.9 million euro.
The actual undercrossing of the Danube River at Comasca started on 25 September 2016, when the main pipeline was pulled through the drilled borehole under the Danube River. The undercrossing works mean the actual connection of the Romanian and Bulgarian gas transmission systems. At the same time the Giurgiu Gas Metering Station allows reverse gas flow to a maximum 1.5 bcm/year in both directions.
The gas is transmitted through the 5.1 km DN 500 mm gas pipelines from the Giurgiu Gas Metering Station to the Comasca valve assembly (Romania). The length of the Danube undercrossing is of 2.1 km from the Comasca valve assembly to the Marten valve assembly (Bulgaria).
Currently the Romania – Bulgaria interconnector, a pioneering work, is the largest of this kind in Romania and in Europe.
Transgaz is in the final stage of negotiation of the Interconnection Agreement with Bulgartransgaz, the neighbouring gas transmission operator in Bulgaria. The Interconnection Agreement will lay at the basis of the transmission capacity trade.
The Romania – Bulgaria interconnection project is the only project by which it may be ensured the transmission of gas from the Azerbaijan-Turkey-Greece southern route to Austria through the section on the territory of Romania. The gas pipeline from Bulgaria to Austria, via Romania and Hungary (BRUA - PCI 7.15, project of common interest on the first list of PCIs) is very important for the region, since, following its commissioning, the pipeline will ensure the integration of the Southern Corridor gas sources into the Central and Western European markets.
The BRUA project (consisting of two phases according to the CESEC recommendation) is part of the 2014-2023 Transgaz Development Plan and is on the updated list of projects of common interest adopted by the European Commission. The Black Sea shore - Podișor Compressor Station pipeline is also a European project of common interest, connecting with BRUA by taking over the potential Black Sea gas sources.
The BRUA project is developed in the context of the necessity to diversify the gas supply sources of the European countries, increase security of supply to Romania by the access to new sources, the transmission to the Central European markets of the Caspian Sea gas, the ensuring in the Bulgarian direction of a bidirectional transmission capacity of 1.5 bcm/year and the development of a transmission capacity of 1.75 bcm/year in phase I and 4.4 bcm/year in phase II in the Hungarian direction
The pipeline will have a total length of 528 km, a 32"(DN 800) diameter and a design pressure of 63 bar.
SNTGN Transgaz SA is the technical operator of the National Gas Transmission System and is responsible for its operation compliant with the quality, safety, economic efficiency and environmental protection conditions.
INSTITUTIONAL COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT