Azerbaijan, Baku, July 3 / Trend A. Taghiyeva /
The Pars gas pipeline construction designed to supply Iranian gas to Europe via Turkey could begin in 2013, Turang Transit Transportation, implementing a project in Turkey, told Trend today.
"The tender will be announced during the first months of next year to find a contractor to carry out construction work within the project," the company employee dealing with this project Kasim Oztash told Trend today. "Construction work will begin immediately after the tender results are announced."
Oztash stressed that the route of the project, passing through Turkey, will be changed. Thus, the new route of the gas pipeline envisages gas transportation through the Turkish provinces of Gumushane, Kirshehir, Kutahya and Tekirdag.
"These changes will reduce the Pars project route and facilitate its implementation," he added. "A new route for Iran's gas transportation will make the project more cost-effective."
He stressed that the project will begin in the province of Agra, Turkey and will be completed in the province of Edirne. According to the original project, the gas pipeline envisages gas supply up to Austria through Greece.
Oztash stressed that the length of the gas pipeline from the eastern border of Turkey to the western will hit 1,750 kilometers. Its capacity is estimated at 35 billion cubic meters of gas. According to recent estimates, the cost of the project hits 5.5 billion euros.
"All the details of Pars project have been negotiated by the parties," he added. "All preliminary work within the project has been completed. The project is being supported by the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Iran's Ministry of Petroleum. They signed an agreement to implement the Pars project on November 17, 2008."
Pars gas pipeline will deliver gas from Iran's field "South Pars". The first part of the project is a part of inter-Iranian main gas pipeline system Iran Gas Trunkline. It will connect the industrial area Assaluye (province of Bushehr), the town of Bazargan (Western Azerbaijan) on the border with Turkey.
The second phase of the project will begin in Turkey and extend to Europe.