18 September 2012Implementation of the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline project (TANAP) will enable Azerbaijan to reach borders of Europe for the first time, Azerbaijani Industry and Energy Minister Natig Aliyev told reporters on Tuesday.
He said this project is very important, including for Azerbaijan and Turkey.
"Reaching borders of Europe is important, following which the country will be able to diversify its gas supply routes throughout Europe," Aliyev said.
Azerbaijan has the South Caucasus gas pipeline, which allows the country to export gas to Turkey, he said.
"To ensure Azerbaijani gas supply to Europe, all the necessary work will be conducted to expand the existing gas transportation infrastructure and construction of a new gas pipeline, which is designed to transport gas from the eastern to the western borders of Turkey," Aliyev said.
Azerbaijan and Turkey signed an intergovernmental agreement on June 26 on the project pipeline Trans-Anatolian pipeline (TANAP).
In December last year, Azerbaijan and Turkey signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a consortium that will build a gas pipeline to supply gas from the Shah Deniz field to Europe through the Turkish territory. At present, BOTAS has a 20 percent stake in TANAP, and the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) - 80-percent share.
The initial capacity of the pipeline is expected to reach 16 billion cubic meters per year. About six billion cubic meters of the volume will be allocated to Turkey, while the rest will be transported to Europe. |
