Kazakhstan, Astana, 25 September / Trend , K.Konirova /
Yet Azerbaijan does not consider the issue of transporting its gas through Kazakhstan to China. In order to begin to consider this project, Kazakhstan should submit transit tariffs and China - business offers, a senior representative of SOCAR (State Oil Company of Azerbaijan) said on Sept. 25.
Offer to transport Azerbaijani gas via Kazakhstan-China pipeline was made in September during the meeting of President of the Kazakhstan National Company KazMunaiGaz, Kairgeldi Kabildin with the President of SOCAR (State Oil Company of Azerbaijan) Rovnag Abdullayev.
The representatives of Kazakhstan say that transporting gas from Azerbaijan may be carried out via pipeline under the Caspian Sea. According to representatives of SOCAR, Azerbaijan has great experience in laying submarine pipelines (approximately 5,000 kilometers of various offshore pipelines have been laid in the Republic), and therefore, this project is possible.
Non-solution of Caspian's status will not play any role in this case if the pipeline will have the status of extraterritoriality.
Gas demand in China began to increase sharply since mid 1990s. In 1995, gas consumption was 17.7 billion cubic meters. In the beginning of 2009, according to BP, the gas demand in the country reached 80.7 billion cubic meters, which is 15.8 percent higher than consumed in 2007. The share of gas demand in China in 2008 amounted to 2.7 percent of the world total demand.
Transportation of Azerbaijani gas via Kazakhstan can be carried through Kazakhstan - China pipeline.
The first stage of the Kazakhstan-China gas pipeline will be launched on Dec.16, 2009. The capacity of this pipeline will be 40 billion cubic meters.
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