Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 8
By Aygun Badalova - Trend:
The possibility for transportation of gas via the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) from other sources, such as Iran, Iraq and Turkmenistan is open, Charalampos Pippos, Senior Energy Consultant, expert, former Chairman of the Energy Group of the EU Council said.
"Under specific positive political and economic circumstances there is still an open possibility for transportation of natural gas through the TAP, which is the vital part of the Southern Gas Corridor, from Iran, Iraq and/or Turkmenistan," Pippos told Trend.
While Turkmen and Iraqi gas could become gas supply sources for the Southern Gas Corridor in the mid-term, Iranian gas could reach the western markets only in long-term perspective, given the geopolitical energy developments in the broader region, Pippos believes.
Turkmen gas, he said, could be transported via an appropriate final link of the route starting from Turkmenistan via Azerbaijan directly with TAP or with another possible interconnector (for example the interconnector Greece-Italy).
"In the case of Iraqi or Iranian gas transportation to the EU markets, a new strategic route should be constructed in Southeast Mediterranean, most possibly that being part of the relevant EU East-Med/Trans-Med pipelines, again through an appropriate final direct link of this line either with TAP or with IGI," Pippos said.
The proposed East Med pipeline would bring gas from off-shore Israel and Cyprus to the EU through Greece or Turkey. So far though, Turkey is blocking a shorter and cheaper pipeline through occupied Northern Cyprus and Turkey proper, which would be the optimal solution.
The East Med pipeline is a proposed project which envisages the transportation of gas from off-shore Israel and Cyprus to the EU through Greece or Turkey. The project has been included in the European Union's Projects of Common Interest (PCI). The pipeline, approximately 1,700 kilometers in length, is expected to have an annual capacity of 15 billion cubic meters.
The East Med pipeline will be comprised of a network of submarine and overland infrastructure offering a direct link for deposits in the southeast Mediterranean area with the European gas network via Greece.
The Trans-Mediterranean Pipeline is a natural gas pipeline from Algeria via Tunisia to Sicily and to mainland Italy. An extension of the TransMed pipeline delivers Algerian gas to Slovenia.
TAP project is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor that will allow Europe to diversify its hydrocarbon supply sources and strengthen energy security.
TAP will transport natural gas from the giant Shah Deniz II field in Azerbaijan to Europe. The 878 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.
TAP's initial capacity will be 10 billion cubic meters per year, expandable to 20 billion cubic meters per year.