Short info about BGH

Balkan Gas Hub ЕAD was established by “Bulgartransgaz” EAD in January 2019. With regard to the realization of the concept for establishment of a gas distribution hub on the territory of Bulgaria.

Balkan Gas Hub ЕAD operates trading platforms servicing the needs of the natural gas markets within the Balkan gas hub. In synergy with the physical infrastructure of the gas distribution hub, it provides the prerequisites required for establishment of the first, Bulgaria based, liquid physical and trading gas hub in the South Eastern Europe region.

Mission, vision, objectives

Mission

The company Balkan Gas Hub EAD (BGH EAD) was incorporated in January 2019 with a mission to establish and operate a natural gas trading exchange. The electronic platform with segment also for bilateral trade, offers contemporary physical and financial products, including products for exchange of ownership on a stock exchange basis at a virtual trading point (VTP) and at some of the physical points of the networks, provided through the Pan-European platform PEGAS.

The company provides market participants with a natural gas trading platform (TP) with all the necessary functionalities. It is established according to the requirements of Art. 10 of Regulation (EU) No 312/2014 establishing a Network Code on Gas Balancing of Transmission Networks and of the applicable national and European legislation and regulations.

Vision

The vision for a gas distribution hub and gas trading exchange is entirely based on the context of the European objectives on establishing an interconnected and integrated pan-European gas market and in support of the plans for gas infrastructure development across Europe. The trading platform Balkan Gas Hub EAD aims to successfully become the first liquid physical and commercial gas hub in the region of South-eastern Europe.

The vision of Balkan Gas Hub EAD is directly related to the Bulgarian and European energy legislation and the relevant regulatory norms and directives. The concept of establishing and developing a gas distribution hub on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria, as well as the establishment of a gas trading exchange is strictly in line with the needs identified by the High Level Group for Gas Connectivity of Central and South-east Europe (CESEC).

Balkan Gas Hub EAD becomes a reality due to Bulgaria's strategic geographic location, as well as the well-developed existing natural gas transmission and storage infrastructure. The vision of Balkan Gas Hub EAD is motivated also by the current projects for implementation of interconnections with Turkey, Greece and Serbia, modernization and expansion of the existing infrastructure, the envisaged expansion of Chiren UGS, as well as the forthcoming construction of new gas transmission infrastructure, including TurkStream, Balkan Stream, Eastring, TANAP, TAP, East Med, etc., in close proximity to Bulgaria.

The vision of the trading platform Balkan Gas Hub EAD is directly related to the implementation of the strategic and operational goals set by the company.

Objectives

Regarding its long-term development plans, Balkan Gas Hub EAD identifies and acts in pursuance of the following strategic objectives:

• Enhance the transparency and liquidity of the natural gas markets in the South-east European region;
• Create a reliable, stable and integrated regional gas market capable of meeting the needs of traders, customers and users in the long and short term;
• Enhance energy security and create additional opportunities for diversification of the sources of natural gas supply.

For implementation of these key strategic objectives, priority is given to ensuring further interconnection and sustainable regional cooperation between South-east European markets, which creates conditions for ensuring security of supply, enhance liberalization and increase the liquidity of the national gas markets.

In this regard, the following operational objectives have been developed in the long and short term:

• Ensure a regional exchange platform for trading in natural gas under conditions of competition, transparency and non-discrimination;
• Provide environment ensuring competitive prices for users and traders;
• Provide conditions for trading with standardized products with minimized risks for the parties involved;
• Ensure transactions transparency and non-discriminatory access to the electronic platform for all market participants.

Balkan Gas Hub EAD guarantees its readiness to adjust its business development to the specific needs of the users and market dynamics. The main objective of the company is the gradual expansion of the product range and support of natural gas trade, making it an easily accessible and attractive activity for all participants.