Gas prices in southern Europe given as reason for TAP win -OMV
26/06/2013 12:38
VIENNA, June 26 (Reuters) - The consortium that chose the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project over Nabucco West to transport Azeri gas to Europe pointed to higher gas prices in Italy and Greece as the reason, OMV OMVV.VI said. Austrian oil and gas group OMV, which led the Nabucco West consortium, said earlier on Wednesday it had lost its decade-long campaign for selection by the Shah Deniz consortium, which operates the Azeri field that will supply the gas. ID:nL5N0F226A "The Nabucco project is over for us," OMV Chief Executive Gerhard Roiss told a hastily called news conference, putting to rest the suggestion that Nabucco could also be built eventually. Roiss questioned whether higher gas prices could really be achieved in austerity-plagued Greece or plentifully supplied Italy, which lie on the TAP route. "The question of whether that is a fig leaf for a political decision I leave to you to judge," he said. (Reporting by Georgina Prodhan; editing by Jane Baird) ((georgina.prodhan@thomsonreuters.com)(+431 5311 2256)(Reuters Messaging: georgina.prodhan.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) Keywords: GAS PIPELINE/OMV