Difficulty: Medium
Correct Answer: Nabucco Natural Gas Pipeline Project
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question relates to international energy cooperation and large cross border infrastructure projects. Gas Authority of India Limited, commonly known as GAIL, is a major public sector undertaking in the natural gas sector. At one point, GAIL explored equity participation in a long distance pipeline project that would bring gas from the Caspian Sea region to Central Europe. Knowing the name of this project helps students connect Indian public sector companies to global energy initiatives and understand how energy security is linked to international pipelines.
Given Data / Assumptions:
A 3,300 kilometre long gas pipeline is planned from the Caspian Sea region to Central Europe.GAIL is likely to take equity participation in this transnational pipeline project.We must identify the correct name of this project from the options.All options refer to energy sector related entities or projects.
Concept / Approach:
The key concept here is recognition of the Nabucco Natural Gas Pipeline Project. Nabucco was a proposed pipeline intended to reduce European dependence on a single source of gas by bringing supplies from the Caspian region and possibly the Middle East. The project attracted international attention and potential partners from different countries. GAIL explored the possibility of investing in this project to strengthen India's role in global energy trade. The other names in the options are companies or entities connected to energy but are not the name of the 3,300 kilometre pipeline itself.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Focus on the description in the stem: a 3,300 kilometre pipeline from the Caspian Sea to Central Europe.Step 2: Recall that the most widely known project of this type is called the Nabucco Natural Gas Pipeline Project.Step 3: Look at the options and identify which one is the name of a project, not just a company.Step 4: Natural Gas Transmission Company, SNTGN Transgar SA, and O M V Aktiengesellschaft are names of companies or corporate entities.Step 5: The only option that clearly mentions a pipeline project and matches the description is Nabucco Natural Gas Pipeline Project.
Verification / Alternative check:
A quick mental verification can be done by remembering that OMV is an Austrian energy company, SNTGN Transgaz SA is a Romanian transmission company, and Natural Gas Transmission Company is a generic sounding name. None of these match the commonly used project title. On the other hand, the Nabucco project was frequently reported in news reports about European energy diversification and Caspian gas supplies, often in connection with potential partners from other countries. This supports the selection of the Nabucco Natural Gas Pipeline Project as the correct answer.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Natural Gas Transmission Company: This is not the specific name of the 3,300 kilometre Caspian to Europe pipeline project. It is a generic description and refers to a corporate entity in another context.SNTGN Transgar SA: This refers to a gas transmission company and not to the project described in the question.O M V Aktiengesellschaft: OMV is an Austrian integrated oil and gas company that was one of the partners, but the pipeline project itself was called Nabucco.
Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse the names of participating companies with the name of the project. Because OMV and other companies were major stakeholders, some learners may incorrectly choose those names. Another pitfall is not paying attention to the phrase pipeline project, which clearly points to a project title rather than a corporate entity. Careful reading of the question and familiarity with international energy news help avoid these mistakes in competitive exams.
Final Answer:
The 3,300 kilometre transnational pipeline project in which GAIL planned equity participation is the Nabucco Natural Gas Pipeline Project.
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