Turkish watchdog says 26 firms apply for West pipeline deal

Twenty-six companies, including Austria's OMV, Turkey's Aygaz, Zorlu , Aksa, Demiroren and Turcas have applied for a licence to transfer 4 billion cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas through the West Pipeline, Turkish Energy Market Regulator said on Wednesday.



Russia's top natural gas producer Gazprom and Turkey's Botas ended a contract last month to buy 6 bcm of gas annually due to a pricing disagreement.

The amount of natural gas to be transferred annually will be 4 bcm from 2012 to 2014, 5 bcm in 2015 and 6 bcm in 2016, the energy market watchdog said in the statement. The West pipeline runs from western Turkey to Russia via Ukraine.