An agreement supporting the Nabucco pipeline project is to be signed this October, Turkish Premier Recep Erdogan stated at the opening of the 2nd Black Sea Energy and Economy Forum in Istanbul, Sept. 29, the Anadolu News Agency reports. The Turkish Premier reminded the participants that an intergovernmental agreement was signed last July.

Erdogan stated the European Commission is supporting the draft as well.

If built, the Nabucco pipeline is expected to be operational by 2015 and it will carry 31 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year. The project is estimated at €8bn.

The main source of Nabucco’s supply is expected to be the second stage of the Shah Deniz gas field in Azerbaijan, as well as Turkmenistan and Iran. But no binding agreements have been signed with them.