BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 12
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
Southern Gas Corridor does not yet allow direct supplies of Azerbaijani natural gas to the domestic market of the Czech Republic (this is only possible through swap operations), the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade told Trend.
“But its importance lies primarily in strengthening energy security throughout the EU, as it is a new source of natural gas for Europe, independent of traditional sources of gas supply to the EU.
We positively see the completion of the TAP natural gas pipeline and the start of direct supplies of Azerbaijani natural gas to the southern Italy. We believe that after the completion of other branches of this corridor, especially the one to Croatia, it will be possible to supply Azerbaijani natural gas directly to the gas market in the Czech Republic. Therefore, the Czech side has many times positively supported the idea of the Southern Gas Corridor, either bilaterally or in the framework of EU negotiations and documents, said the ministry.
The Southern Gas Corridor, which is comprised of Shah Deniz 2, the South Caucasus Pipeline Expansion, the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP), and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) became fully operational on December 31, 2020.
Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) AG confirmed on Dec. 31 the commencement of gas flows from Azerbaijan. The first gas has reached Greece and Bulgaria, via the Nea Mesimvria interconnection point with DESFA, as well as Italy, via the Melendugno interconnection point with SNAM Rete Gas (SRG).
TAP transports natural gas from the giant Shah Deniz field in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea to Europe. The 878 km long pipeline connects with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Turkish-Greek border in Kipoi, crosses Greece and Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Southern Italy.
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