Arad–Szeged pipeline
Encyclopedia
The Arad–Szeged pipeline is a natural gas
pipeline
from Arad
in Romania
to Szeged
in Hungary
diversifying natural gas suppliers and delivery routes for the two countries and connects the two natural gas national grids. The pipeline attempts to lessen the two country's dependence on Russian energy
. The Arad–Szeged pipeline is part of the larger New European Transmission System
meant to unite Central
and South Eastern Europe's natural gas transmission networks.
Preparations for the project started in 2008 and the intergovernmental agreement between Romania
and Hungary
was signed on 1 July 2008. The project is developed by the consortium of two companies. The final investment decision was made at the end of 2008. The pipeline is expected to be operational by September 2010 and it will carry 4.4 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year.
and Hungarian oil and gas company MOL was signed on 1 July 2008. The intergovernmental agreement to build a natural gas pipeline between countries was signed in May 2010 in Arad
. The pipeline was supposed to be inaugurated on 29 July 2010 but was postponed until September due to construction issues on the Hungarian side. The pipeline is supposed to be inaugurated by the European Commissioner for Energy
Günther Oettinger
.
/Nădlac
.
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
pipeline
Pipeline transport
Pipeline transport is the transportation of goods through a pipe. Most commonly, liquids and gases are sent, but pneumatic tubes that transport solid capsules using compressed air are also used....
from Arad
Arad, Romania
Arad is the capital city of Arad County, in western Romania, in the Crişana region, on the river Mureş.An important industrial center and transportation hub, Arad is also the seat of a Romanian Orthodox archbishop and features two universities, a Romanian Orthodox theological seminary, a training...
in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
to Szeged
Szeged
' is the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county town of Csongrád county. The University of Szeged is one of the most distinguished universities in Hungary....
in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
diversifying natural gas suppliers and delivery routes for the two countries and connects the two natural gas national grids. The pipeline attempts to lessen the two country's dependence on Russian energy
Russia in the European energy sector
Russia has a significant role in the European energy sector as the largest exporter of oil and natural gas to the European Union. In 2007, the European Union imported from Russia 185 million tonnes of crude oil, which accounted for 32.6% of total oil import, and 100.7 million tonnes of...
. The Arad–Szeged pipeline is part of the larger New European Transmission System
New European Transmission System
The New European Transmission System is a project to unite Central and South Eastern Europe's natural gas transmission networks by creating a common gas transmission system operator...
meant to unite Central
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
and South Eastern Europe's natural gas transmission networks.
Preparations for the project started in 2008 and the intergovernmental agreement between Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
was signed on 1 July 2008. The project is developed by the consortium of two companies. The final investment decision was made at the end of 2008. The pipeline is expected to be operational by September 2010 and it will carry 4.4 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year.
History
The agreement between Romanian gas company TransgazTransgaz
Transgaz , is a state-owned company, which is the technical operator of the national natural gas transmission system in Romania. The company handled in 2006 a quantity of 15.85 billion m³ of natural gas....
and Hungarian oil and gas company MOL was signed on 1 July 2008. The intergovernmental agreement to build a natural gas pipeline between countries was signed in May 2010 in Arad
Arad, Romania
Arad is the capital city of Arad County, in western Romania, in the Crişana region, on the river Mureş.An important industrial center and transportation hub, Arad is also the seat of a Romanian Orthodox archbishop and features two universities, a Romanian Orthodox theological seminary, a training...
. The pipeline was supposed to be inaugurated on 29 July 2010 but was postponed until September due to construction issues on the Hungarian side. The pipeline is supposed to be inaugurated by the European Commissioner for Energy
European Commissioner for Energy
The Commissioner for Energy is a member of the European Commission. The current Commissioner is Günther Oettinger .-Responsibilities:The Commissioner holds responsibility for the European Union's energy policy as well as nuclear issues . It was previously a backwater in the Commission but has now...
Günther Oettinger
Günther Oettinger
Günther Hermann Oettinger is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union . He became European Commissioner for Energy in the European Commission on 10 February 2010 and is affiliated with the European People's Party...
.
Technical description
The length of the Romanian section is 62 kilometres (38.5 mi). The length of Hungarian section is 47 kilometres (29 mi). The diameter of pipeline is 27.5 inches (698.5 mm) and the capacity is 4.4 billion cubic meter (bcm) of natural gas per annum. The total cost of the pipeline was around €68 million (US$85 million) and the construction cost was 48% for the Romanian section and 52% for the Hungarian section. The two sections meet near the Hungaryan/Romanian border at CsanádpalotaCsanádpalota
Csanádpalota is a town in Csongrád county, in the Southern Great Plain region of southern Hungary.-Geography:It covers an area of and has a population of 3286 people ....
/Nădlac
Nadlac
Nădlac is a town in western Romania, Arad County. A former part of the town lies across the border with Hungary; this village is called Nagylak. An international border town, Nădlac is the main border crossing into western Romania from Hungary. It is also a centre of the Lutheran Slovakian...
.