Baku, Azerbaijan, May 15
By Emil Ismayilov- Trend:
Implementation of major gas transportation projects takes into account the possibility of transporting additional volumes of gas on them, both from other fields in Azerbaijan, as well as of the third countries.
The Azerbaijani Energy Minister Natig Aliyev made the remarks commenting on the issue of the possibility of transportation of Turkmen gas to Europe.
Particularly, we are talking about transportation through the South Caucasus gas pipeline, Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline (TANAP) and others.
In the case of Turkmenistan's intention to export its gas to Europe, Azerbaijan is ready to provide all necessary infrastructure in this regard, he said.
"The negotiations have been held on the issue of Turkmen gas supplies to Europe repeatedly, but no concrete results have been achieved so far," the minister said.
As Aliyev noted, at present, the Turkmen side carries out several gas transportation projects which are aimed at the East. On the issue of gas transportation, Turkmenistan states that it is interested in the supply of gas to the West; herewith it is ready to give gas on the border.
"And the issue of gas transportation through the Caspian Sea remains open," the minister said.
Negotiations between the EU, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan on the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline began in September 2011.
A framework agreement on cooperation in deliveries of Turkmen natural gas to Turkey and further to Europe was signed between the governments of Turkmenistan and Turkey in June 2013 after high-level talks in Ashgabat.
The project envisaging the laying of around 300 kilometers long gas pipeline under the Caspian to the shores of Azerbaijan is regarded as the optimal option for delivering Turkmen resources to European markets. Further, the Turkmen fuel can be delivered to Turkey which borders with European countries.
Trans-Caspian gas pipeline may become a part of several major projects including AGRI and TANAP, in which Ankara and Baku are actively participating. Ashgabat believes that for laying pipes under the Caspian Sea, the legal status of which has not yet been determined, the consent of both Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan and those territories covered by the project, is sufficient. Azerbaijan expressed its readiness to offer its territory, transit opportunities and infrastructure for the implementation of the project.
The TANAP pipeline will be commissioned in mid-2018 with the initial capacity of 16 billion cubic meters per year. About six billion cubic meters of gas out of the 16 billion cubic meters initially will be delivered to Turkey and 10 billion - to Europe. The throughput of TANAP gas pipeline will reach 31 billion cubic meters per year in 2026.
In 2023, the capacity of the gas pipeline, which is designed to provide transportation of Azerbaijani gas from offshore "Shah Deniz" gas condensate field (in the second phase of development) through Turkey's territory up to its border with Europe will reach 23 billion cubic meters.
The final investment decision was made on the second phase of the Azerbaijani Shah Deniz offshore gas and condensate field's development on December 17, 2013.
The gas to be produced within the second phase of the field's development will be exported to Turkey and to 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).
The consortium for the development of the Shah Deniz gas condensate field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, signed long term contracts (25 years) with nine European companies on gas supply in September 2013.
The contracts for the purchase of gas from the second phase of development of the Shah Deniz field were signed in Baku with the following companies: Shell, Bulgar Gas, DEPA, Gas Natural Fenosa, EON, Gaz de France, Hera, Enel and Axpo.
The first gas will be delivered to Turkey in 2018 and to Europe in 2019.
The contract for development of the Shah Deniz offshore field, which has proven reserves of 1.2 trillion cubic meters of gas, was signed on June 4, 1996.
Participants in the Shah Deniz field development are the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) with a share of 16.7 percent, British BP (28.8 percent), Norway's Statoil (15.5 percent), Iran's NICO (10 percent), French Total (10 percent), Russia's Lukoil (10 percent), Turkish TPAO (9 percent).
Edited by C.N.