Baku, Azerbaijan, July 3
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
The Ionian-Adriatic Pipeline (IAP) project will turn Montenegro into a bridge between the Caspian Sea region and Western Europe, Economy Minister of Montenegro Dragica Sekulic said in an interview with Trend.
She pointed out that IAP construction would enable not only the gasification of Montenegro, but of southern Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania as well, and it would also ensure the diversification of the supply lines in the region.
“By the development of this project, Montenegro shall, together with the neighbouring countries, become a bridge between the Caspian region and Western Europe,” said the minister. “Opening of the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) means that we are one step closer to gasification of Montenegro, considering that it was planned that a branch of that pipeline, IAP, as part of the future TAP, shall pass through Montenegro.”
A ceremony to launch Phase 0 of 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.
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. It will be connected with the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). The capacity of the pipeline will amount to five billion cubic meters of gas per year.
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