Slovakia prepares to build a pipeline for the supply of shale gas from the United States

Work on the project of a cross-border gas pipeline connecting Poland with Slovakia is proceeding according to plan, according to the Slovak gas distribution network operator Eustream. "We have now set a schedule according to which we expect the project to be launched at the end of 2019," as specified in the statement.

The Lupkowski-Priesmik cross-border pipeline combines the compressor station at Velké Kapuszanach with the Polish transmission hub at Strachocina. Its length across the territory of Slovakia will be 106 km, and 58 km across the territory of Poland. The Polish partner of the project is Gaz-System. According to earlier estimates, the cost of this pipeline for Slovakia will be more than 100 million euros, but the total cost of the new connection, which will need to be integrated with the Polish transmission network, will reach more than 530 million euros.

The expected maximum throughput is 6 billion cubic meters of gas per year from Slovakia in the Polish direction and 5 billion cubic meters in the opposite direction. Slovak media reports that Eustream wants to thus ensure the supply of shale gas from the United States to Slovakia and reduce its dependence on Russian gas. The gas pipeline through Lupkovski-Priesmik will be part of the European North-South corridor connecting two LNG sea terminals - in Swinoujscie and on the Croatian island of Krk.