Baku, Azerbaijan, May 6
By Maksim Tsurkov - Trend:
With the start of construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), no obstacles will remain for the project 'Southern Gas Corridor', which involves delivery of Azerbaijani gas to Europe, Azerbaijan's Energy Minister Natig Aliyev said.
He made the remarks at the meeting with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the UK Irfan Siddiq in connection with completion of term of his diplomatic activity in Azerbaijan.
At the meeting, the minister expressed confidence that relations between Azerbaijan and the UK will continue to expand.
"The UK company BP is a reliable strategic partner of Azerbaijan," Aliyev said. "During the period of more than 20 years of the company's activity, the oil and gas industry of Azerbaijan was given a boost, a large system of production and transportation of energy resources created in the Caspian region, new technologies attracted to the region."
"The signing of a new agreement to develop a block of oil fields 'Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli' (ACG), the work on the gas field 'Shah Deniz' and other energy projects lay the foundation of the Azerbaijani-UK cooperation for the decades to come."
The minister said that the timely implementation of the project 'Southern Gas Corridor' is a key priority for Azerbaijan.
"Laying the foundation of TAP gas pipeline will be held May 17 in the Greek city of Thessaloniki, and then no obstacles will remain to implement the 'Southern Gas Corridor'," Aliyev said. "The expansion of this project and the construction of interconnectors to meet the gas needs of Balkan countries are important issues."
In turn, Siddiq praised energy policy pursued by Azerbaijan and said that the UK government will continue to further support Azerbaijan.
The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority energy projects for the EU. It envisages the transportation of gas from the Caspian Sea region to the European countries through Georgia and Turkey.
At the initial stage, the gas to be produced as part of the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor projects. Other sources can also connect to this project at a later stage.
As part of the Stage 2 of the Shah Deniz development, the gas will be exported to Turkey and European markets by expanding the South Caucasus Pipeline and the construction of Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline and Trans-Adriatic Pipeline.
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