6.20.2 Capacity expansion of Chiren UGS

PROJECT OF COMMON INTEREST 6.20.2 Chiren UGS Expansion

PROJECT PROMOTER: BULGARTRANSGAZ EAD

Chiren UGS Expansion project is a project of common interest (PCI) in line with Regulation (EU) 347/2013, priority corridor: North-South Gas Interconnections in Central Eastern and South Eastern Europe (NSI East Gas).

CURRENT STATUS OF PCI 6.20.2: Design and issuance of permits

FUNDING OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES:

PCI 6.20.2 has received financial aid from the EU through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) by means of two signed grant agreements having the following parameters:

TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT

The project for Chiren Underground Gas Storage Expansion (PCI 6.20.2) envisages capacity increase in stages of the only gas storage facility on the territory of Bulgaria in order to achieve larger volumes of stored gas including increased gas reservoir pressure and higher daily average withdrawal and injection rates.

The project aims to:

• increase the active gas volume of up to 1 bcm (now 550 mcm);
• increase the daily withdrawal capacity of up to 10 mcm/d and the injection capacity of up to 8 mcm/d (currently the maximum daily withdrawal capacity is 3.82 mcm/d, and the maximum daily injection capacity is 3.2 mcm/d).

Achieving these objectives will be possible through the construction of new above ground facilities, 10 new high flowrate exploitation wells and 3 new observation wells as well as the necessary connecting infrastructure.

ACTIVITIES MAP

PUBLICITY MATERIALS ABOUT THE PROJECT

Pursuant to the Transparency and Public Participation Guidelines (Annex VI to Regulation (EU) No 347/2013), Bulgartransgaz EAD published:

• Information brochure on PCI 6.20.2
• Non-Technical Summary on PCI 6.20.2
• Project Leaflet, 2022 edition

Information on the conducted 3D seismic surveys (Action No. 6.20.2-0021-BG-S-M-15)

STAKEHOLDERS

Bulgartransgaz EAD published: 

• Stakeholder Engagement Plan
• Public participation concept regarding the implementation of PCI 6.20.2
• Raising environmental and social concerns and problem solving via DFC's Office of Accountability for the Capacity expansion of Chiren UGS project - Guide for Communities

CONTACT AND FEEDBACK FORM:

Any comments, questions, recommendations and complaints regarding PCI 6.20.2 may be submitted:

• via feedback form;
• via complaint standard form; 
• to the Company's official e-mail:info@bulgartransgaz.bg

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

MANUAL OF PROCEDURES: Manual of procedures for the permit granting process applicable to projects of common interest in the Republic of Bulgaria is published in line with Article 9 of Regulation 347/2013 by the Ministry of Energy as the competent national authority.

EC INFORMATION PLATFORM: More information on the projects of common interests is available on the official website of the European Commission (EC).

INTERACTIVE PCI MAP - TRANSPARENCY PLATFORM::  The Transparency platform is a public information system that provides detailed information on the projects of common interest, including their geographic data, technical description, implementation plan and the benefits they bring to Member States and local communities, as well as the received EU financial support. This information is available to every EU citizen in line with TEN-E Regulation (Article 18).

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA.
Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.