Bulgartransgaz EAD launched market consultations regarding an activity from the subject-matter of a public procurement for investment design, procurement of the necessary materials and equipment, drilling of three exploitation wells at underground gas storage Chiren, construction of the necessary infrastructure to a new compressor station Chiren and their commissioning. The aim is to determine the estimated value of the activity of drilling three new vertical exploitation wells at Chiren gas storage, including supply of the necessary materials and equipment. The sole purpose of the presented indicative values is to be carried out a study of the actual market prices, which will be compared and analysed in order to determine the total estimated value of the public procurement. Indicative offers are not binding in case of participation in the public procurement procedure.
By 29.11.2024 all persons - independent experts or bodies, or market participants - can submit offers with proposed indicative values for implementation of the above activity.
By the market consultations, Bulgartransgaz EAD resumes the activities of storage capacity increase in stages aimed at achieving higher volumes of stored gas.
They start after terminating on 16.10.2024 the contract for spatial planning, investment design, procurement of the necessary materials and equipment, construction and commissioning of construction site: "Expansion of Chiren UGS - wells" between Bulgartransgaz EAD and DZZD UGS DRILLING CHIREN. The companies signed an agreement and DZZD UGS DRILLING CHIREN returned to Bulgartransgaz EAD all amounts received under the contract, totalling BGN 79,077,636.00 (seventy-nine million seventy-seven thousand six hundred and thirty-six) with VAT, including the advance payment under the contract. Bulgartransgaz EAD has not spent any funds in this regard.
We recall that the public procurement for spatial planning, investment design, procurement of the necessary materials and equipment, construction and commissioning of construction site: "Expansion of Chiren UGS - wells" has already been investigated in terms of its legality regarding compliance with the regulations in the field of public procurement by the State Financial Inspection Agency, and no violations have been found.
Expansion of the capacity of the only gas storage in our country is among the leading energy projects in the region. Its implementation will contribute to guarantee energy security and increase competition on the gas market in Bulgaria and South-eastern Europe. The project is in full synergy with the existing and planned new LNG terminals in the region, as well as with the expansion plans of the gas transmission infrastructure.
It shall be implemented in three directions - design and construction of a new compressor station, underground facilities and transmission gas pipeline. The construction activities of the compressor station are being carried out on schedule and it is planned to be run into operation by the end of the first quarter of 2025. The transmission gas pipeline connecting Chiren UGS with the existing gas transmission system of Bulgartransgaz EAD in the area of the village of Butan was constructed, approved by the acceptance committee on 19.11.2024 and is about to be commissioned.
Full information regarding the conducted market consultations is publicly available on the buyer profile in CAIS EOP (https://app.eop.bg/today/443892), as well as on the buyer profile - market consultations section on Bulgartransgaz EAD website (https://www.bulgartransgaz.bg/pages/pazarni-kosultacii-245.html).