Gas Interconnector Greece - Bulgaria (IGB)

This article is part of the Global Fossil Infrastructure Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor and the Center for Media and Democracy.

Sub-articles:

FrackSwarm portal Coal terminals Coal transport and infrastructure Oil and gas pipelines LNG terminals Pipeline construction costs Methodology and data notes

Gas Interconnector Greece - Bulgaria (IGB) is a proposed pipeline linking gas from Azerbaijan to Bulgaria via Greece.

Location

The pipeline will begin at Komotini in Greece and end at Stara Zagora in Bulgaria, including approximately 31km running through Greece and 151km through Bulgaria.

Loading map...

{"type":"ROADMAP","minzoom":false,"maxzoom":false,"types":["ROADMAP","SATELLITE","HYBRID","TERRAIN"],"mappingservice":"googlemaps3","width":"400px","height":"300px","centre":{"text":"","title":"","link":"","lat":42.4257102,"lon":25.6167505,"icon":""},"title":"","label":"","icon":"","visitedicon":"","lines":[{"text":"","title":"","link":"","strokeColor":"#FF0000","strokeOpacity":"1","strokeWeight":"2","pos":[{"lat":41.1203561,"lon":25.3864585},{"lat":42.4257102,"lon":25.6167505}]}],"polygons":[],"circles":[],"rectangles":[],"wmsoverlay":false,"copycoords":false,"static":false,"zoom":6,"layers":[],"controls":["pan","zoom","type","scale","streetview","rotate"],"zoomstyle":"DEFAULT","typestyle":"DEFAULT","autoinfowindows":false,"resizable":false,"kmlrezoom":false,"poi":true,"markercluster":false,"clustergridsize":60,"clustermaxzoom":20,"clusterzoomonclick":true,"clusteraveragecenter":true,"clusterminsize":2,"imageoverlays":[],"kml":[],"gkml":[],"searchmarkers":"","enablefullscreen":false,"scrollwheelzoom":false,"locations":[]}

Project Details

• Operator: IGI Poseidon (50%); Bulgarian Energy (50%)
• Proposed capacity: 3 bcm/y, possible future expansion to 5 bcm/y
• Length: 184 kilometers
• Status: Proposed
• Start Year: 2021

Background

The IGB pipeline has been under development since 2009, following a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the governments of Greece and Bulgaria outlining the creation of a gas interconnection linking the two countries. The project is currently in its final development stages before beginning construction.

Construction of the pipeline is planned to start in 2018 and be completed by 2020.

The 184 kilometer pipeline will deliver gas from Azerbaijan through Greece to Bulgaria and will maintain an initial capacity of 3 bcm per year, with a potential to expand its capacity to 5 billion bcm per year. IGB pipeline will cost an estimated €160m ($170m), of which up to €45m ($48m) will be provided by the European Commission (EC) under the European Energy Program for Recovery.

In July of 2019, the Greek Regulatory Authority for Energy (RAE) issued ICGB AD a license for an Independent Transmission System Operator (INGS). The license pertains to the Greek section of the IGB project and was issued for a period of fifty (50) years. It expires on June 27, 2069. It entitles ICGB AD to start the construction of the project, including the pipeline and auxiliary facilities and equipment on the territory of Greece. Obtaining this permit was the final step prior to construction.

In September of 2019, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissova announced that funding for the Bulgaria-Greece interconnector had been fully secured.

Technical Details

In order to create an expanded maximum capacity of 5bcm, the project will also necessitate maintaining 57barg pressure at Komotini and 52barg outlet pressure at Stara Zagora. A 10MW compressor station will also be required to be installed at Haskovo, Bulgaria. The project also includes the installation of infrastructure including nine block valve stations, SCADA / control and telecommunications facilities, and two terminal scraper stations. Two gas metering stations at Komotini and Stara Zagora, and two off-take and automated gas regulation stations in Kardjali and Dimitrovgrad will also be developed.

Financing

The pipeline has been approved for inclusion on the European Commission's Projects of Common Interest list, meaning it will receive public funding from the EU. According to the European Commission, "Construction of a bi-directional gas interconnector between the high pressure natural gas systems of Greece and Bulgaria with a technical capacity of up to 3 BCM/year, capable to be increased to up to 5 BCM/year with the installation of a Compressor Station (CS). New onshore pipeline with a length of 185 km and a daily capacity of approximately 13.7 MCM/day. compressor station at Kipoi will be needed to ensure the supply with gas of the IGB from the DESFA system. The power of the CS is of approximately 12 MW. The metering station at Komotini will enable the Gas Transmission System of Greece to supply gas into the IGB pipeline."

Ownership

The project is being developed by the joint venture company ICGB, in which state-owned Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH) and Greek IGI Poseidon hold equal shares. Greek public gas corporation DEPA and Italian energy group Edison own 50% each of IGI Poseidon.