Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec.8
By Emil Ismayilov - Trend:
The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) hasn't received any appeal on the possible transportation of Russian gas via the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline (TANAP), President of SOCAR Rovnag Abdullayev told reporters on Dec.8.
SOCAR is the owner of the controlling block of shares in TANAP.
Earlier, Russia abandoned the implementation of the project for construction of South Stream gas pipeline and decided to lay a route through Turkey's territory. The possibility of using the TANAP pipeline for the planned delivery of Russian gas to the Turkey-Greece border was discussed.
Abdullayev said the transportation of Russian gas via TANAP was not taken into account during the design-driven study, adding that this issue can be considered after receiving a corresponding appeal.
Commenting on Russia's abandonment of the South Stream project and the possible impact of this on the projects aimed at supplying the Azerbaijani gas within Southern Gas Corridor, SOCAR president said that these projects have never been rivals, since each of them has its own market.
"We don't see any problems hindering the implementation of Southern Gas Corridor project," said Abdullayev.
He said the implementation of all the projects within the Southern Gas Corridor continues.
Abdullayev added that the work under the Stage 2 of the development of Shah Deniz gas condensate field is underway and the South Caucasus Pipeline Expansion project is under implementation.
Abdullayev said that there are no delays in the implementation of the Trans-Adriatic gas pipeline.
At the same time, the tender procedure for choosing the contractor for the construction work under the TANAP project is being completed, SOCAR president said, adding that the groundbreaking ceremony of the pipeline will be held in Q1 of 2015.
The TANAP project envisages gas transportation from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field to Europe through Turkey.
Around six billion cubic meters of the total volume of gas to be produced as part of the Stage 2 of development of the Shah Deniz field will be delivered to Turkey and 10 billion cubic meters to Europe per year. In the future, the pipeline may be expanded up to 31 billion cubic meters a year.
The initial capacity of TANAP is expected to reach 16 billion cubic meters of gas per year.
It is planned to commission TANAP in 2018. The project's cost is estimated at $10-11 billion.
Contracts for the supply of pipes for the construction of TANAP were signed in Turkey's Ankara city on Oct.14 with six Turkish and one Chinese company.
Turkey's Mannesmann-Noksel-Erciyas and Umran-Emek consortiums, Toscelik Profil ve Sac Endustrisi, as well as a Chinese contractor Baosteel Europe won the tender for the supply of pipes for the TANAP project.
All the companies that will participate in the construction and supply of the TANAP project in Turkey are exempt from VAT.
Edited by SI
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Emil Ismayilov is Trend Agency's staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @Emilsmail