Southern Gas Corridor to underpin Azerbaijan

  09 March 2015    Read: 1009
Southern Gas Corridor to underpin Azerbaijan
The Southern Gas Corridor project, which will link Caspian resources directly with European gas markets for the first time, will underpin the country
“Above all, by opening up the Southern Corridor, Azerbaijan will continue to build its growing reputation as an important contributor to the energy security of Europe,” she said.

She stressed that the Southern Gas Corridor offers Europe a new source of gas as well as an opportunity to diversify its energy mix.

“The numbers we associate with the Shah Deniz 2 and Southern Gas Corridor projects are huge by any standard: 16 billion cubic metres of gas per year; $45 billion of capital investment; thousands of new jobs across the countries involved; 3,500 kilometres of pipeline." "So this is a very important project and we are excited as we look ahead and as we continue to work with Azerbaijan on this key project of global significance,” Bayatli said.

She also said that as operator of the Shah Deniz project, BP is currently focused on delivering the project and getting it completed on schedule and on budget.

“At this stage we can say Shah Deniz Stage 2 is on track for first gas in 2018, with sales to Turkey, with deliveries to Europe expected to follow in 2020,” she said.

The most important thing about this huge project, Bayatli believes, is that it will offer a major new source of energy diversity to Europe and this is the reason why it has attracted so many interested parties - a host of governments, state and independent energy companies and gas purchasers. “It will also have a positive impact on the economies along the Corridor, and will create a legacy of agreement and understanding among all stakeholders. The project will deliver new onshore assets, offshore facilities and export infrastructure - all built and operated to international standards,” she said. “All this is a strong factor that, we believe, will encourage the development of even greater volumes of gas from the Caspian and other countries,” Bayatli added.

The Southern Gas Corridor project envisages transportation of gas from the Caspian region through Georgia and Turkey to Europe.

This large project aims at diversifying the routes and sources of energy supply that will enhance the energy security of Europe. The Southern Gas Corridor project will ensure Caspian gas supply to the European markets for the first time in history. At the initial stage, the gas to be produced as part of the second phase of development of Azerbaijani gas condensate Shah Deniz field is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor project. At a later stage, other sources may join the project.

The gas to be produced as part of the Stage 2 of the field`s development will be exported to Turkey and to the European markets by means of expanding the South Caucasus Pipeline and construction of the Trans-Anatolian Gas Pipeline (TANAP) and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). Around six billion cubic meters of the total volume of gas within the Shah Deniz-2 project will be delivered to Turkey and 10 billion cubic meters to Europe per year.

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