Nabucco pipeline downsizes

The consortium overseeing the planning of the Nabucco pipeline announced modified plans for the natural gas conduit that will serve Europe. The new Nabucco West line will extend from the Bulgarian/Turkish border to the Central European Gas Hub in Baumgarten, Lower Austria, according to a press release published on its website. The new proposal deviates from the original EU-backed pipeline, which would have extended through Turkey to Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, the Hungarian oil company MOL Group announced on 22 May that it exit the joint project, casting further doubt on the creation of a pipeline that would relieve Europe’s dependence on Russia.