Pipes for NABUCCO project

Turkish pipe manufacturer Borusan Mannesman has released information regarding an estimate for the NABUCCO gas pipeline. It believes around USD 4 bln worth of pipe will be needed in total and the company bosses expressed their hope that it will be the main provider of pipes for the project, which will need more than 2.80 mln tonnes of steel pipework. The Turkish firm is able to provide 90% of the pipes. Construction of the NABUCCO gas pipeline will start late 2011 and should be completed no later than spring 2013.

The US considers NABUCCO an important strategic project and supports it unconditionally. While American companies are not participating in the project directly, they could provide other facilities. The main question remains open – who will be the main provider of gas apart from Azerbaijan? According to some approved versions it could be Turkmenistan or Iraq. If implemented successfully, the NABUCCO project could enable Europe to be free of its dependence on gas supplies from Russia.