Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 18
By Maksim Tsurkov - Trend:
TAP has not yet received any proposals from Iran to join the project and hasn't offered Iran to take part in it either, Anadolu Turkish news agency said Aug.18 with reference to TAP Managing Director Ian Bradshaw.
TAP envisages transporting Azerbaijani gas via Greece and Albania to Italy.
"There have been no contacts with Iran about its participation in the project until now either from our or their part," said Bradshaw. "The realization of TAP is being carried out in accordance with EU legislation and sanctions related with it. In this context, the project is always open to any companies that increase its strategic importance."
He said that the whole "Southern Gas Corridor" project is of strategic importance for the European gas market, as it offers the region a new source of natural gas, thus improving Europe's energy security.
"In the first phase the project will make it possible to transport 10 billion cubic meters of gas per year to Europe from Azerbaijani Shah Deniz-2 field with a possible further expansion of capacity to 20 billion cubic meters," said Bradshaw. "New additional compressor stations will be built for that. The project will also have the opportunity to reverse the gas flow. The countries of South-Eastern Europe will benefit from the project most of all."
He went on to add that despite the fact that TAP ends in Italy, the presence of the piping system makes it possible to deliver Azerbaijani gas to such countries as Switzerland, Austria, France, Germany, Belgium and even the UK. "At the same time, the gas from the Shah Deniz-2 will play an important role in meeting the demand for gas of such countries as Bulgaria and Greece," said Bradshaw.
TAP will transport natural gas from the giant 'Shah Deniz 2' field in Azerbaijan to Europe.
The approximately 870 km long pipeline will connect with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Turkish-Greek border at Kipoi, cross Greece and Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Southern Italy.
The pipeline's construction is expected to start in 2016.
TAP's initial capacity will be 10 billion cubic meters per year, expandable to 20 billion cubic meters per year.
TAP's shareholding is comprised of BP (20 percent), SOCAR (20 percent), Statoil (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagás (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent).
Edited by CN
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