After receiving an opinion on the control carried out by the Public Procurement Agency, Bulgartransgaz EAD launches a public procurement for the phased expansion of Chiren underground gas storage facility. We recall that at the beginning of 2025, the gas transmission operator launched a procurement with the same scope, but none of the bids submitted within the procedure met the conditions for submission. At the end of April 2025, the Contracting authority took a decision to terminate the procedure and it was appealed to the Commission for Protection of Competition, whose decisions were subsequently confirmed by the Supreme Administrative Court.
The open procedure includes activities involving an investment design, procurement of the necessary materials and equipment, drilling of three exploitation wells (Well Е-76; Well Е-77; Well Е-79) at Chiren UGS, construction of their adjacent gatherings to a new Chiren compressor station and their commissioning.
The scope of the public procurement provides for an opportunity for the realisation of another three exploitation wells. In the event that this option will be proceeded with, they will require an investment design, procurement of the necessary materials and equipment, drilling of the wells, construction of their adjacent gatherings to a new Chiren compressor station and the commissioning thereof. The wells to be executed in the event of the award of the option shall be determined between wells Е-74, Е-75, Е-78, Е-80, Е-81, Е-82 and Е-83 of the storage facility.
The assessment of the award of the option shall be made according to the productivity of the first two completed wells of the procurement subject and after the integration of the data acquired from these wells into the available 3D model of the storage facility with a view to its further upgrade. The construction of the facilities will create the technical possibility for the gradual expansion of Chiren storage facility as it will increase its operational safety and boost its capacity.
The estimated value of the public procurement, including the option, remains unchanged from the one set in 2025 and amounts to EUR 55,972,144,82, VAT excluded. The sum includes: the cost of implementation of stage "Well E-76", "Well E-77" and "Well E-79" in the amount of EUR 27,986,072,41, excluding VAT, and the cost of implementing the stages that will be awarded with the option in the amount of EUR 27,986,072,41, excluding VAT.