Turkmen gas to EU will bypass Russia
The deal could ease Europe’s dependence on Russian gas.
Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU Commissioner for external relations, told the Financial Times in London that there are three ways to deliver the gas from Turkmenistan to Europe.
Firstly, a mini-pipeline could be built connecting Turkmenistan's rigs to Azerbaijan. Alternatively, a pipeline going through Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan could be laid. The third option is to transport the liquefied gas by sea.
Experts are at a loss as to how Turkmenistan can meet these new commitments because all the country’s gas exports – up to 50 billion cubic metres – are already accounted for until 2028.
At present, Turkmenistan has long-term (25-year) contracts to supply natural gas to Russia and Iran. Moreover, Turkmenistan is building a gas pipeline to China with a capacity of 30 billion cubic meters a year.
Even if the Nabucco pipeline is completed however, it would only supply about 5 percent of Europe's needs.