Will "Nabucco" achieve independence?

Natural gas is a fuel, more profitable and cheap comparatively with other oil products and besides, it is less harmful to the environment. Not surprisingly, the Soviet Union rich in gas resources, was one of the main natural gas suppliers to Europe. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia inherited the status of a gas superpower. In the mid-2000s, the share of Russian gas accounted for 25% of total EU imports.

This situation did not suit much, especially for America, whose analysts have repeatedly expressed doubts about the reliability of Russia. Thanks to the efforts of the U.S. administration an idea appeared to lay the pipe, bypassing Russia to transport gas from Azerbaijan and Central Asia.

So in 2002 "Nabucco" project was developed. This main gas pipeline project provides for the capacity of 31 billion cubic meters of gas per year and the total length is 4000 kilometers. In the east, it is supplied from Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline, built with the active participation of the U.S. and the EU. According to the plans of the parties concerned, it will allow Europe to get another source of gas, as well as to the countries of the South Caucasus and Central Asia to strengthen independence from Russia.

Implementation of the project was postponed repeatedly because of possible gas suppliers, financial and political problems. As a result, in May 2012 "Nabucco" project consortium presented a new version of the project called "Nabucco West", only 1,300 kilometers in length, which is three times less than the original version.

The desire of the Western countries to be independent from Russia is so great, that investors are not even confused by the fact that in December 2012 Russia successfully launched the construction of the "South Stream" pipeline, which is running under the Black Sea to supply gas to Europe.

Despite all the setbacks, the foreign investors are so unexplainably persistent to construct "Nabucco". They have a clear target - to weaken the Russian position on the international arena and push it from the world gas market as a key player.