Baku, Azerbaijan, June 23
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
The privatization of land plots for the construction of the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) has started in Turkey's northeastern province of Kars, the province's governor, Gunay Ozdemir, told Trend in an interview.
He added that the hiring of the necessary personnel and delivery of pipes have begun in the province in connection with TANAP's construction.
Ozdemir said TANAP is an important energy project for both Turkey and Europe.
"This gas pipeline will run through 20 provinces of Turkey and will have six construction sites, one of which is to be located in the Selim district of the Kars province," said the governor.
Ozdemir added that TANAP's construction would primarily contribute to the growth of employment in the region.
He said TANAP is an ideal chance for the Turkish construction companies.
"The participation of the Turkish construction companies in this project is a very important thing. Those companies have already received an appropriate certificate of compliance," the governor added.
Ozdemir said the TANAP project, apart from being a good example of the brotherly relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey, also has an important nature.
"Since Turkey has a stake in TANAP, this project will strengthen the country's role in ensuring the energy security of Europe," Ozdemir noted.
The TANAP project's realization will contribute to the development of the economic and political cooperation between the countries of the Caspian region, as well as strengthening of peace and stability. he said.
The northeastern province of Kars is one of the regions of Turkey through which TANAP will run.
The presidents of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia laid the foundation of TANAP in the province of Kars on March 17.
The TANAP project envisages the transportation of gas of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field from the Georgian-Turkish border to the western borders of Turkey. TANAP's initial capacity is expected to reach 16 billion cubic meters of gas per year.
Around six billion cubic meters of this gas will be delivered to Turkey and the rest of the volume to Europe. Turkey will obtain gas in 2018. The gas will be supplied to Europe in early 2020 after the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) is constructed.
BP and the TANAP consortium signed March 13 a shareholder agreement, according to which BP will become one of the shareholders of TANAP. The agreement is one of the main documents for BP's ownership of a stake in the TANAP project.
Following the completion of a legal implementation procedure, TANAP's shareholders list will be as follows: SOCAR - 58 percent, Botas - 30 percent and BP - 12 percent.
Edited by CN
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