The natural gas interconnector between Bulgaria and Greece, which is to transport Azerbaijan's natural gas to those countries, will go into operation in September or October, ICGB project company Executive Director Teodora Georgieva told journalists, Report informs, citing the Bulgarian media.
The Bulgarian state, represented by Bulgarian Energy Holding, and a Greek-Italian shareholder hold equal stakes in ICGB.
By the end of June, the pipeline construction was completed at 98%. The linear part is ready, all pipes have been welded, laid down under the ground, covered up and undergone hydrostatic testing.
The successful tests ensure that the facility meets all relevant standards, Georgieva said.
Finishing work continues on one of two gas metering stations at Komotini in Greece. Another station, at Stara Zagora in Bulgaria, has been completed and pneumatically tested.
Initially, the pipeline will carry 3 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually, as much as Bulgaria's consumption.
The IGB is designed to transport blue fuel from Shah Deniz 2 to Bulgaria. Through this pipeline, which will join TAP, Bulgaria will import 1 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year from Azerbaijan. Thus, the state company Bulgargaz EAD has signed a contract with the Shah Deniz consortium to purchase this amount of gas from the Shah Deniz-2 field. Azerbaijan will be able to meet 25-30% of Bulgaria's gas needs.
A total of 150 kilometers of the 182-kilometer pipeline will be on Bulgarian territory. The pipeline's annual capacity is estimated at 3-5 billion cubic meters.