Pan-European Oil Pipeline Agreement Signed

Pan-European Oil Pipeline Agreement Signed



   
April 2007 - Five southeast European 
countries today signed an agreement to begin work on the 
Pan-European Oil Pipeline, which is designed to limit oil 
pollution risks in the Black and Mediterranean seas. 
Top officials from Croatia, Italy, Romania, Serbia, and 
Slovenia signed the pipeline agreement during a wide ranging 
energy forum in Zagreb. 
The 1,400 kilometer pipeline will link the Black Sea port of 
Constanta in Romania to the oil hub of Trieste in Italy. 
From Trieste, existing pipelines head north to Austria, 
Germany and the Czech Republic. 
Because the pipeline links the Black Sea with Central European 
markets, it will avoid an increase in oil tanker traffic 
through Turkey's already over-crowded Bosphorus straits. 
The Bosphorus separates Asiatic Turkey from European Turkey 
and links the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara leading out to 
the Mediterranean. 
Turkish Coast Guard figures show that in 2004, approximately 
53,000 vessels crossed the straits, more than 8,000 of them 
carrying dangerous cargo, mostly oil or liquid petroleum gas. 
Turkish officials have warned for years that the straits 
cannot handle an increase in tanker traffic. 
The European Commission today also gave its support to the 
Pan-European Oil Pipeline. EU Energy Commissioner Andris 
Piebalgs signed the agreement, saying the pipeline is of 
"great strategic importance to the European Union." 
The pipeline would significantly reduce the chances of a 
serious accident in the Bosphorus Straits, the Black, Aegean 
and Adriatic Seas, Commissioner Piebalgs said. 
"This project is a good example of enhanced co-operation among 
the members of the energy community," he said. 
Estimated to cost between 1.5 billion and 2.62 billion euros 
(US$2 to $3.5 billion) the pipeline is due for completion by 
2012. It will carry crude oil sourced mainly in Russia, 
Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. 
Oil tanker at the Port of Trieste 
Most parts of the pipeline are already built except for a 
connection between the city of Pitesti, Romania and the city 
of Pancevo, Serbia, and a section between Croatia's northern 
Adriatic region through Slovenia to Trieste. 
Signing of the pipeline construction agreement has been 
delayed several times, in part due to objections from the 
government of Slovenia, which is concerned about a 29 
kilometer (20 mile) section that crosses environmentally 
senvironment newsitive karst terrain. The limestone caves and formations 
are an important visitor attraction for Slovenia. 
Today's energy forum gathered stakeholders not only from the 
Southeast European region but also from Russia, the Caspian 
region and Central Asia. 
The conference was held as part of the Southeast Europe 
Cooperation Process. It involves Albania, the Former Yugoslav 
Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Romania, 
Turkey, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and Greece, and Moldova as 
an observer. Croatia is acting as chairman for the year 2007. 

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