Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct. 3 / Trend A. Akhundov /
The U.S. and EU are working closely with Azerbaijan on Azerbaijani gas supplies to Europe.
The future gas pipeline, which will deliver Azerbaijani gas to Europe, must have more capacity, EU ambassador to Azerbaijan Roland Kobia told Trend.
"We hope that the largest gas pipeline will be chosen as Azerbaijan's opportunities are not limited by Shah-Deniz field," he said. "There are also promising Umid and Absheron fields, so a big gas pipeline is required. The operations on laying the Trans-Anatolian pipeline (TANAP) are underway. We are glad to see this development."
The gas to be extracted within the second stage of Shah Deniz field development is being considered as the main source for the "Southern Gas Corridor" projects. Azerbaijan plans to export 10 billion cubic meters of gas a year to Europe within the second stage of the field development.
At present, the partners on "Shah Deniz" consider two possible projects of transporting Azerbaijani gas to Europe - Nabucco West and Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). These projects are considered on the same criteria to make a decision on a route by May 2013.
U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Richard Morningstar told Trend that the two countries are working closely for the development of the Southern Gas Corridor.
"The relations between Azerbaijan and the U.S. in the energy sector were always good and this will continue," he said. "We attach great importance to the cooperation with Azerbaijan in energy sector, including the development of Southern Gas Corridor, which will deliver gas to Europe via Turkey."
German Ambassador to Azerbaijan Herbert Quelle said that Germany looks forward to a decision of the Shah Deniz consortium.
"Germany has a great interest in Azerbaijani gas," Quelle told Trend. "Germany would like to purchase gas from the region, as it will reduce our dependence on Russia in the energy sphere."
The contract to develop the offshore Shah Deniz field was signed on June 4, 1996. Participants to the agreement are: BP (operator) - 25.5 per cent, Statoil - 25.5 per cent, NICO - 10 per cent, Total - 10 per cent, LukAgip - 10 per cent, TPAO - nine per cent and SOCAR-10
percent.
Total reserves of the Shah Deniz field are estimated at 1.2 trillion cubic meters of gas. It is predicted that gas production volume can be brought up to 24 billion cubic meters a year within the second stage of field development.