BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb.14
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
Pipeline capacity for supplies to the European market is expected to be expanded with the completion of the Southern Gas Corridor (via the Trans Adriatic pipeline or TAP), Trend reports citing Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF).
Aside from the Southern Gas Corridor, Nord Stream 2 and 3 pipelines, and Turkish Stream will also contribute to this process, according to GECF Global Gas Outlook 2050.
In Europe, the gas market will emerge significantly more integrated after several intra-EU gas pipeline interconnectors are finished, reads the report.
The Southern Gas Corridor project aims to increase and diversify European energy supply by bringing gas resources from the Caspian Sea to markets in Europe.
The Southern Gas Corridor comprises the following four projects: (i) operation of Shah Deniz natural gas-condensate field ("SD1" project) and its full-field development ("SD2'" project), (ii) the operation of the South Caucasus Pipeline ("SCP" project) and its expansion ("SCPX" project), (iii) the construction of the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline ("TANAP" project) and (iv) the construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline ("TAP" project) (SD2, SCPX, TANAP and TAP collectively, the "Projects").
The Projects have an estimated investment cost of approximately $40 billion. Upon completion, the SD2 project will add a further 16 bcm of natural gas per annum to 10.9 bcma (maximum production capacity) already produced under SD1 project.
Total length of the newly constructed SCPX, TANAP and TAP pipelines will be more than 3,200 kilometres.
GECF believes that the global gas trade infrastructure will see significant capacity increases in both pipeline and LNG by 2050.
“The global pipeline export network is expected to add over 600 bcm of capacity by 2050. This only refers to the capacity of export pipeline projects across country borders, and not to the supporting pipeline networks. The larger part of the capacity, totalling 300 bcm, is expected to run from Eurasia to the markets both in Europe and Asia with over half of that directed to the Asian market. There are also export pipelines expected to be constructed within the Middle East and Central Asia regions leading to the Asia Pacific market, with combined capacity over 250 bcm,” said GECF.
The largest pipeline capacity additions are expected to be from Iran, Russia and Turkmenistan, reads the report.
“Project plans have already been announced that run at least up to 2030. This includes completions of Central Asia-China gas pipeline D, the Iran-Pakistan pipeline, and both routes for the Power of Siberia pipelines.”
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