The study will be based on researches launched in 1995 and provide the basis for the final decision on such a major infrastructure project. The issuing of the study will be followed by technical and economic planing in which Croatian companies will also be engaged.
The study and the project are expected to be completed by the end of 2008, while the terminal is expected to become operational by the end of 2011.
The terminal's capacity would be about 10 billion cubic metres of natural gas annually and it would provide gas for Croatia and other countries in Southeast Europe.
The current stockholders in Adria LNG are Austria's OMV and France's Total, each with a 28.37 per cent interest, Croatia's INA with 22.2 per cent, Germany's RWE Transgas with 15.95 per cent, and Slovenia's Geoplin with 5.11 per cent.
Following E.ON Ruhrgas' involvement in the project, this company is also expected to become a stockholder. The Croatian government has previously requested that Croatia's share in the consortium be 25 per cent, with INA holding 10 per cent, HEP nine and Plinacro six per cent.