The BRUA pipeline will interconnect with Turkstream, a new Russian pipeline, through which Gazprom transports gas to Europe, bypassing Ukraine through the Black Sea, Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said.

“BRUA must start in Bulgaria, which interconnects with the Turkish Stream gas pipeline. Yes (it connects with TurkStream). We will have a gas source in the south. Let’s see what Hungary will do, which is not yet clear. Normally, it has to reach Baumgarten (in Austria),” said Ludovic Orban in an interview with HotNews.ro.

At the same time, Orban says that if Exxon won’t be able to sell its stake in the Black Sea project at an affordable price, it may stay. Chances are not very high, the prime minister added.

According to the information provided in the public space, several companies would be interested in the 50% stake that Exxon Mobil holds in the Neptune project for the exploration and exploitation of gas in the Black Sea, along with OMV Petrom. On the one hand there would be a consortium made up of the Romanian company Romgaz, the National Natural Gas Company of Poland, PGNiG, and OMV Petrom which has the preemptive right. On the other hand there would be the Russian company Lukoil.

Economy Minister Virgil Popescu said he recommends that Exxon’s license transfer to be made by a Government Decision.