25 October 2011
Nabucco prays for a miracle amid problems
The project has evolved into a clumsy, expensive solution to a problem the market is already solving
People don’t believe in the Nabucco gas pipeline, and they haven’t for years. The EU-backed mega-project to diversify European gas supply and reduce reliance on Russia makes perfect political sense, but after nearly a decade in development it remains a pipe dream. First touted in 2002, momentum for Nabucco peaked after a gas war between Russian and transit-state Ukraine in 2009 that cut gas supplies for the second time in three years. Soon after, Turkey and four EU member states – Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria – signed an intergovernmental agreement to bring gas from central Asia to Europe, and the US warmly congratulated them on pipeline plans that could unshackle Europe from Russi
Also in this section
24 December 2025
As activity in the US Gulf has stagnated at a lower level, the government is taking steps to encourage fresh exploration and bolster field development work
23 December 2025
The new government has brought stability and security to the country, with the door now open to international investment
23 December 2025
A third wave of LNG supply is coming, and with it a likely oversupply of the fuel by 2028
22 December 2025
Weakening climate resolve in the developed world and rapidly growing demand in developing countries means peak oil is still a long way away
