Baku, Azerbaijan, June 13
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
The launch of the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) means a step closer towards gasification of Montenegro, said a message posted on the website of the country’s Economy Ministry.
“The launch of TANAP means a step closer to the gasification of Montenegro. It also opens up an opportunity for the country to get access to a significant gas market,” said the ministry.
The ministry said that the Ionian Adriatic Pipeline (IAP), which is expected to be connected to the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), will pass through Montenegro as well.
IAP is a proposed natural gas pipeline in Southeastern Europe (SEE) that will stretch from Albania through Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, to Split in Croatia. The capacity of the pipeline will amount to five billion cubic meters of gas per year.
Montenegro’s Economy Ministry has intensified cooperation with Albania’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy on the implementation of the IAP project, said the message.
A ceremony to launch TANAP took place June 12 in the Turkish city of Eskisehir.
TANAP, together with Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor, which provides for the transportation of gas from the Azerbaijani field Shah Deniz to Europe.
The initial capacity of TANAP is expected to be 16 billion cubic meters of gas per year. About six billion cubic meters will be supplied to Turkey, and the rest to Europe. After completion of the TAP, the gas will reach Europe in early 2020.
The share distribution in TANAP is as follows: Southern Gas Corridor CJSC - 51 percent, SOCAR Turkey Enerji - 7 percent, Botas - 30 percent, and BP - 12 percent.
The launching ceremony of the first stage of the Southern Gas Corridor project was held in Baku on May 29.
The gas from the Azerbaijani Shah Deniz field has already gone through the first segment of the Southern Gas Corridor - from the Sangachal terminal to the expanded South Caucasus Pipeline.
The Southern Gas Corridor, which costs more than $40 billion, is one of the priority projects for the EU and provides for the transportation of 10 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas from the Caspian region through Georgia and Turkey to Europe.
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