Minister Rumen Radev: The road map for the Alexandroupolis - Burgas oil pipeline is ready, a feasibility study is pending

Marinela Arabadzhieva

The implementation of the Alexandroupolis-Burgas oil pipeline project will increase the possibility of fuel diversification not only for the refinery in Burgas, but also competitiveness in the region. This was stated by the Minister of Energy Rumen Radev at the opening of the conference "Fuels and energy security - what has changed in the world, Europe and in Bulgaria and what is to come", organized by the energy policy expert Slavcho Neikov and the internet portal 3eNews.

The project roadmap is now ready. The feasibility study is to be carried out, the minister said. He commented that it would not be appropriate to take concrete action on this project before a proper assessment of the target markets, demand, supply chain, the study of technical aspects, different business models and public private partnership opportunities is done. It is also necessary to make recommendations for financial structuring, assessment of economic viability, Rumen Radev pointed out. "My appeal is that when we do something, we should not do it like in the past," said the minister, recalling the version of the "Burgas-Alexandroupolis" project, adding that the actions should not be theoretical but justified.

Meanwhile, during the discussion later it became clear that "Lukoil" supports the project, but as he reminded the Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board of "LUKOIL NEFTOHIM BURGAS", it will not be ready until the exemption for the import of Russian oil expires by sea.

The Minister of Energy also drew attention to the challenges facing our country in the area of renewable energy in transport, referring to the need to introduce the relevant European directives into the legislation.

"We have set a goal under the current integrated plan for 27% by 2030. What we have repeatedly discussed with colleagues from the EC are numbers in the range of -29 - 30%. This is in terms of the share of energy in gross final energy consumption. In the transport sector it is 14%, as per the directive. I draw attention to the fact that when revising the directive, 29% is aimed for in transport", Minister Radev pointed out, emphasizing the extremely big challenge, especially regarding the increase of biofuels in consumption from 1 to 2 percent by volume when mixing them". According to him, the criteria for sustainability and reduced emissions are also higher for liquid and solid biomass fuels. With the integrated plan, we must anticipate an increase in requirements in terms of consumption, as well as ambition in the transport sector," he also noted.

In his speech, Minister Rumen Radev made the relevant distinction about the role of fuels in transport and energy. Speaking in the energy section, he drew attention to the infrastructural importance of coal power.

The minister recalled that a decision is yet to be made on the potential participation of the state in the rights to be included in the exploration for oil and gas block Khan Asparuh. At the same time, he asked about risk assessment. "At the moment, the Black Sea region is purely geopolitically high-risk, but a potential commitment of the Bulgarian state is an important signal in terms of both risk assessment and the perspective of such undertakings," he pointed out.