Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 21
By Sabina Ahmadova - Trend:
Romania supports the opening of the Southern Gas Corridor as a priority of the EU, Ambassador of Romania to Azerbaijan Daniel Cristian Ciobanu said today at the conference 'Joint approach to energy security: Position of NATO and other parties' which is being held in Baku on November 21.
"Azerbaijan is a strategic partner of Romania, which can reinforce competition at the European energy market," Ciobanu said.
According to Ciobanu, an important project promoted by Romania in the region is AGRI (Azerbaijan-Georgia-Romania Interconnector) project, which takes advantage of the shortest way between the Caspian and Black Sea.
"This type of energy project is biding our countries being beneficial both for Azerbaijan as an important producer and exporter of oil and gas and for Romania by allowing an alternative energy route to transport Caspian gas to the European market," Ciobanu said.
Ciobanu believes that it is very useful to seek new ways of enhancing broad cooperation between NATO and partners from wider Black Sea and Caspian area.
"From my point of view it is very important to study the experience of NATO and its member states and to seek ways to apply best national practices in the field of critical energy infrastructure within the region", Ciobanu said.
"It is necessary to increase awareness among allies and partner countries regarding energy security issues in the Caspian Sea region," he added.
The Southern Corridor is one of the EU's priority energy projects aimed at diversifying the routes and sources of energy supply, thereby increasing secure delivery. Gas to be produced during the second phase of the Azerbaijani Shah Deniz field development is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor project. A consortium of Azerbaijani Shah Deniz gas condensate field development announced its choice of the TAP project in late June, as a gas transportation route to the European markets.
AGRI project envisages the transporting of Azerbaijani gas via pipelines to the Black Sea coast of Georgia, where the gas will be liquefied at a special terminal. The gas will then be delivered to a terminal at the Romanian port of Constanta via tankers. Later the liquefied gas will be brought into the state of natural gas and directed towards covering the needs of Romania and other European countries. The participants in the AGRI project are the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), the Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation, as well as the MVM Company (Hungary) and Romgaz (Romania).