Cyprus willl take on investment and operational costs that may arise for East Med, a prospective pipeline to carry southeast Mediterranean natural gas deposits along a route stretching from Israel to Europe, RAE, Greece’s Regulatory Authority for Energy, and RAEK, its Cypriot counterpart, have agreed.

Both authorities also agreed that the division of the project’s overall cost is substantiated, making conditions mature for the project’s development to commence.

IGI Poseidon, a 50-50 joint venture comprised of DEPA, Greece’s Public Gas Corporation, and Italy’s Edison, is promoting the East Med pipeline.

At present, preliminary deep-sea survey work is being planned around Cyprus and Crete to determine the pipeline’s route.

Then, the next step, scheduled for December, will entail a four-way meeting to bring together the energy ministers of Greece, Cyprus, Israel and Italy for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding.

The East Med pipeline is planned to cover about 1,900 kilometers and connect east Mediterranean deposits with western Greece via Cyprus, Crete and the Peloponnese.

Its annual transmission capacity is planned to measure 10 billion cubic meters. The pipeline will be designed to enable a capacity increase to 16 billion cubic meters if needed. Studies conducted so far indicate the project’s construction cost could reach 6 billion euros.

Officials plan to utilize prospective interconnections towards Bulgaria (IGB), Albania (IAP) and Italy (ITGI).

East Med was classified as a Project of Common Interest (PCI) by the EU in 2013, a decision that facilitates EU funding, while an EU-financed feasibility study was completed last year.