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Turkish Stream not to affect Azerbaijani gas export to Europe

Oil&Gas Materials 2 February 2015 20:33 (UTC +04:00)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 2

By Emil Ismayilov - Trend:

Russia's possible gas supplies to Europe via Turkey will not affect Azerbaijan's plans on gas export to the European market, a source on the oil and gas market of Azerbaijan told Trend Feb. 2.

Although some experts believe that the agreement between Turkey and Russia, its legal registration and commencement of operations may have some impact on Azerbaijan, the source excluded the possibility of this influence.

First, Azerbaijan and Turkey have clear agreements and commitments on gas supplies. Second, it is necessary to take into account the strategic level of relations between the two countries. Third, Turkey needs additional gas volumes. Moreover, in regards to Russian gas, the matter rests in its supply to the European market, the source said.

It should be stressed that as part of implementing the second stage of developing the Shah Deniz offshore gas condensate field, Azerbaijan will annually supply 10 billion cubic meters of gas to Europe and six billion cubic meters to Turkey. Gas supplies to Europe will be possible due to the expansion of the South Caucasus gas pipeline, construction of the Trans-Anatolian (TANAP) and Trans-Adriatic (TAP) gas pipelines.

The contract on developing the Shah Deniz offshore field was signed on June 4, 1996. The proven reserves of the field hit 1.2 trillion cubic meters of gas and 240 million metric tons of condensate.

While speaking about the form of cooperation between Turkey and Russia regarding gas supplies to the EU, the source said that at present, one of the discussed topics between the sides is whether Turkey will buy gas from Russia and supply it to Europe or the Russian gas will be transited to the west.

The Russian side voiced its readiness to build the "Turkish Stream". It plans to use the pipes, earlier purchased for the South Stream project implementation, in the construction of the so-called "Turkish Stream". However, time will be required for the coordination of all issues, including legal issues.

The source said that Europe will continue developing. It needs additional volumes of gas from different sources. Azerbaijan has established itself as a trusted and reliable partner.

During the talks in Turkey on December 1, 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin talked about ceasing the South Stream gas pipeline from Russia to Bulgaria. A new project was immediately initiated in the same volume of 63 billion cubic meters, designed for Turkey and consumers of the EU countries capable to take the required volumes from the trading hub on the border between Turkey and the EU (Greece).

On Jan.23, Russian Sberbank declared its readiness to finance the construction of the Turkish stream gas pipeline.

Earlier, Gazprom defined the route of the Turkish stream pipeline along the bottom of the Black Sea. The capacity of four lines of the pipeline will be 63 billion cubic meters of gas annually.

Plans are for the first branch of the "Turkish Stream" with a pumping capacity of 15.75 billion cubic meters of gas per year to stretch to the territory of Turkey by December 2016.
The gas pipeline will pass 660 kilometers in the old corridor of South Stream and 250 kilometers in the new corridor in the direction of the European part of Turkey.

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Edited by CN

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