IGB connected to the national gas transmission network of Bulgaria

IGB connected to the national gas transmission network of Bulgaria

By
ДИАНА ЗАЙКОВА

The intersystem gas connection with Greece is in the final stage of implementation before the start of commercial operation, planned for the beginning of the upcoming heating period. The gas pipeline and all adjacent land facilities are completed, serviceable and tested with actual quantities of natural gas. The IGB is of key importance for increasing the security of natural gas supplies and for ensuring the diversification of gas sources for Bulgaria and the entire region of Southeast Europe.

Photo: Bloomberg L.P.

The interconnector with Greece is already successfully connected to the national and transit gas transmission network, as well as to neighboring transmission operators, ensuring the physical transmission of gas. The connection of the infrastructure of the two independent transmission operators for Bulgaria - ICGB and Bulgartransgaz - was carried out near Stara Zagora in the period August 16-17. The process is completed with three gold welds. (A gold weld is a weld that is not hydraulically tested, but instead undergoes extensive non-destructive testing to ensure the weld is free of defects and fully compliant with applicable quality standards).

The IGB gas pipeline has already been successfully connected to neighboring operators in both countries, thus the physical transmission of gas through the facility is technically ensured.

Earlier this year, IGB successfully connected to the Trans-Adriatic Gas Pipeline (TAP). The physical connection was made at the gas measuring station of the gas pipeline to the Greek city of Komotini.

After completion of the mandatory non-destructive testing of the connection to the Bulgartransgaz grid, the section will be backfilled, completing all mechanical work.

The intersystem gas connection with Greece is in the final stage of implementation before the start of commercial operation, planned for the beginning of the upcoming heating period. The gas pipeline and all adjacent land facilities are completed, serviceable and tested with actual quantities of natural gas. The IGB is of key importance for increasing the security of natural gas supplies and for ensuring the diversification of gas sources for Bulgaria and the entire region of Southeast Europe.

The gas pipeline will connect Bulgaria to the Southern Gas Corridor and has excellent synergy with other major energy projects such as TAP, TANAP, EastMed and the LNG terminal in Alexandroupolis.

The IGB (Greece-Bulgaria Intersystem Gas Connection) project is implemented by the mixed investment company "ICGB" JSC, registered in Bulgaria in 2011 with shareholders BEH EAD (50%) and IGI Poseidon (50%). The co-shareholder IGI Poseidon is a company registered in Greece, with shareholders the Greek company DEPA International Projects (50%) and the Italian energy group Edison S.p.A (50%).

In accordance with its charter, ICGB JSC should be the owner of the IGB gas pipeline, financing its implementation, distributing its transmission capacity and receiving revenues from the transmission of natural gas.

The IGB gas pipeline is designed to connect with the Greek national gas transmission system (DESFA S.A.) and the Trans-Adriatic gas pipeline (TAP AG) in the area of ​​Komotini (Greece), and with the Bulgarian gas transmission system (Bulgartransgaz EAD) in the area of ​​Stara Zagora. The total length of the gas pipeline is 182 km, the diameter of the pipe - 32'' - and a design capacity of up to 3 billion m3/year. in the direction of Greece-Bulgaria. Depending on the market interest in using a larger capacity and the possibilities of the neighboring gas transmission systems, the capacity is designed to increase to 5 billion m3/year. with additional construction of a compressor station.

Source: Diana Zaikova, 0885/074 422, 0885/614 131; Rositsa Donkova, 0888/ 343 661