The estimated $7.9-billion Nabucco Gas Pipeline, owned by the Nabucco Gas Pipeline International Gmbh consortium, is being built to help Europe bypass Russia and reduce its reliance on gas from that country.

The construction of the 2,051-mile pipeline will take place from 2010 to 2014 and will comprise two major stages. The first phase, beginning in 2010, entails building the entire new route from Turkey's borders with Iran and/or Georgia to Baumgarten, Austria. Following this phase, the existing pipeline facilities between the Turkish/Georgian and Iranian borders will be used for a two-year period in order to link the new pipeline to the Turkish borders.

The second phase, from 2013 to 2014, calls for installing compressor stations at key points along the route to continuously increase capacity up to 31 bcm/y by 2017.