BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb.10
By Fidan Babayeva - Trend:
Trans-Adriatic gas pipeline (TAP), as another energy link connecting Azerbaijan with Europe for a long time, will strengthen the country's strategic partner role in energy security, cooperation, and sustainable development, Minister of Energy Parviz Shahbazov said.
Shahbazov made the remark at a video meeting with Luca Schieppati, Managing Director of the project’s operator TAP AG, Trend reports referring to the ministry.
The meeting participants highly appreciated the completion of the work on the TAP project at the scheduled time and noted that the commencement of the pipeline's commercial operation is an important step towards the commissioning of the Southern Gas Corridor.
"The project has also strategic and economic importance for Europe, provides reliable access to a new source of natural gas, plays an important role in energy security, diversification of supplies, as well as in reducing carbon emissions," noted the ministry.
Then, the sides exchanged views on the expansion of the TAP project - the increase of the pipeline's total capacity to 20 billion cubic meters, market tests that would allow expressing the interests of natural gas suppliers, the fight against climate change, the ‘Green Agreement’ on environmental protection and the restoration of energy markets.
As earlier reported, the supply of Azerbaijan's commercial gas to Europe through the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline started on 31 December last year.
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