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Israel May Become Bridge for Azerbaijani Oil Transportation to Far East

Oil&Gas Materials 18 January 2008 14:52 (UTC +04:00)
Israel May Become Bridge for Azerbaijani Oil Transportation to  Far East

Israel, Jerusalem, 22 January / corr Trend R.Abdullayev / Israel may become a bridge for the Azerbaijani oil transportation to the Far East. Ashkelon Eylat pipeline company plans to establish a channel on oil transportation from the Turkish port of Ceyhan to the east Asia region, using its infrastructure in Israel, Market newspaper, a business part of Ha-Aretz daily, wrote.

The project will be implemented by a consortium of energy companies on cargo transportation. The signing of a memorandum on mutual understanding will most likely occur by no later than three months, Avi Bar Eli, the author of the article, wrote.

Israel's daily demand in oil comprises 12mln tons, including 2mln tons covered by Azerbaijani oil, whereas the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline reduced the route for the Azerbaijani oil delivery to Israel from 2,000km to 600km. A year ago Benjamin Ben Eliezer, the Israeli Infrastructure Minister who visited Baku, stated that Israel is prepared to continue its transit services to deliver Azerbaijani oil to the Asian markets. There are plans to deliver oil from the Ceyhan port to the Israeli port Ashkelon in the Mediterranean Sea. From there it will run via the existing pipeline to the Israeli port of Eylat in the Red Sea and onwards to the Asian countries via tankers. The project has good prospects amid the increasing oil demands from India and China.

The Eylat Ashkolon has recently concluded a commissioning test. The Turkish tanker with oil arrived in Ashkelon and the company transported oil to Eylat. Initiators of the project said that economic profit for the oil importers via the Turkey-Israel line comprises up to $4 per ton, according to the author.

'This project is an important strategic project of the Near East region, which will contribute to the consolidation of a real partnership between Israel and Turkey," Namik Tan, the Turkish Ambassador to Israel, said

The diplomat said that this project represents an integral part of the strategy on the multi-pipeline energy corridor, which envisages the construction of four pipelines allocated for oil, gas and water transportation.

Tan said that thanks to this project the Turkish port of Ceyhan will be connected to Ashkelon via the pipeline. Turkey, in its turn, is interested in the construction of another pipeline between Samsun in the Black Sea and Ceyhan. In accordance with the plan, the pipeline will transport 60mln tons of oil to Ceyhan, making this project more reasonable from an economical point-of view.

According to Avin Idan, an expert for Central Asia and South Caucasus of the Hayfa University, the initiative in the transportation of Azerbaijani oil from the Turkish port of Ceyhan via the Ashkelon-Eylat pipeline in the East Asia region represents joint interests of Azerbaijan, Israel and Turkey.

"Though earlier the Ashkelon-Eylat acted for the Iranian oil transportation from the Persian Gulf via the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea basin countries, now Israel changes its direction oil from the Mediterranean Sea enters the East Asia countries," Idan said.

According to the Israeli expert, there is no room for geo-political zigzag, because economic component exists here.

Thus, initiative by Eylat Eshkelon pipeline company represents a breakthrough for global energy market and the international relations system, making Israel a bridge connecting Eurasia and East. This initiative will provide favorable conditions for cooperation not only in the energy, but also no less important economic and socio-culture fields.

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