Nabucco clarifies supply of Iraqi gas

"We believe that we will start up in 2014 and that the gas will be ready from Iraq," Nabucco Managing Director Reinhard Mitschek told journalists in a briefing. He said the focus had shifted to Iraq from Azerbaijan to supply the first gas.

The first full year of gas deliveries will be 2015 when the consortium expects some 8 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas to be pumped from Iraq's Kurdistan, Mitschek said.

"During 2015, 2016, we should have a further 8 billion from Azerbaijan," Mitschek said. This would give a total of around 16 bcm by 2016. More gas would then come from Iraq, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, he added. The pipeline is planned to transport up to 31 bcm a year.