Baku, Azerbaijan, June 4
By Aygun Badalova- Trend:
The US is committed to the energy security of Europe, and Azerbaijan in this regard will play an important role, Daniel Stein, Senior Advisor on Energy Resources in the U.S. State Department, said at the 21st Caspian International Oil and Gas Conference in Baku on June 4.
He stressed that the role of Azerbaijan has in particular increased after the Ukrainian crisis.
"The global energy market is evolving, and the energy developments in Azerbaijan is just one piece of the complex puzzle," he said.
Stein believes that energy security means the security of nation, and European national security is highly interconnected with the U.S. security.
He stressed that the final investment decision on the Shah Deniz-2 made late last year was an important step towards the enhancing European energy security.
"The Southern Gas Corridor will bring new supply sources and new supply routes for the EU," he said.
Regarding the Turkmen gas to be transported via South Gas Corridor, Stein said the U.S. fully supports the EU's efforts on the negotiations between Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and the EU to form a legal basis for the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline.
The Southern Gas Corridor is a project that will allow Europe to diversify its sources of hydrocarbon supply and strengthen energy security and enable Azerbaijan to get a new market in Europe.
The gas to be produced within the second phase of the Azerbaijani gas condensate Shah Deniz field's development is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor.