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Azerbaijan has enough gas to supply alternative pipeline projects - SOCAR

Oil&Gas Materials 10 July 2009 22:47 (UTC +04:00)
Azerbaijan has enough gas to supply alternative pipeline projects - SOCAR

The head of Azerbaijan's State Oil and Gas Company on Friday said his country's gas reserves are rich enough to supply more than one gas pipeline project, raising the possibility Azerbaijan could become a supplier to the EU- and US-backed Nabucco pipeline aimed at lessening Europe's dependence on Russian gas, AP reported.

"Azerbaijan's gas reserves are very rich, we can supply gas to each project separately," SOCAR's Rovnag Abdullayev said after his talks with Turkey's Energy Minister Taner Yildiz in Istanbul. "Politically, we have decided to give support to Nabucco and we have given importance to Nabucco. But we have to look at conditions."

The prime ministers of Turkey, Austria, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary on Monday are scheduled to sign an intergovernmental deal to allow the pipeline to pass their territory. The pipeline will be build by a private consortium, including a German firm.

The project underlines the growing importance attached to breaking Russia's energy choke-hold on Europe - a situation most recently underlined by the latest gas dispute between Moscow and transit country Ukraine. That spat escalated early this year, cutting Europe off from Russian gas - which makes up for more than a quarter of its gas needs.

A Turkish foreign ministry official said Monday's ceremony will mark the commitment by the participant governments and make it more attractive for suppliers. A feasibility study was underway to establish a joint body, called Caspian Development Corporation, to conduct negotiations with gas suppliers on behalf of the consortium, he said.

Turkey has been insisting on purchasing gas from the pipeline at a discounted price but agreed to a compromise deal. Turkey is now hoping to secure its energy needs at a level close to the price negotiated by the joint body, he said.

Turkey was also given the guarantee that the pipeline can pump gas eastward allowing Turkey to buy gas from Europe in the event of a shortage in the country, said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.

The consortium is expected to finalize separate deals with each transit country within six months, he said. The pipeline is expected to be operational by 2015.

The project involves investments of 8 billion euros ($10.26 billion), according to EU data. The Nabucco pipeline will be 3,300 kilometers long and run from the Caspian Sea across Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary to Austria.

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