Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov. 13 / Trend A.Akhundov /
Germany appreciates Azerbaijan's role in ensuring the energy security of Europe, Minister of State at the Foreign Office of Germany Cornelia Pieper said during a speech at the opening of the Azerbaijani-German Chamber of Commerce in Baku on Monday.
"Azerbaijan is the sixth oil supplier to Germany and we appreciate the role of Azerbaijan in ensuring energy security of Europe in general and Germany in particular," Pieper said.
According to her, the development of the Southern Gas Corridor has strategic importance for Germany.
"Pipelines, which were designed to deliver energy to Europe, should be able to increase capacity in the future and should be open to third parties," - Pieper said.
Gas, which will be produced during the second phase of the field development is considered as the main source for the Southern corridor projects, in particular, Nabucco West and TAP (Trans Adriatic Pipeline). Azerbaijan plans to export 10 billion cubic metres of gas per year to Europe within the second phase of Shah Deniz field development.
The project's current shareholders are Bulgarian Energy Holding, Romanian Transgaz, Turkish Botas, Austrian OMV, German RWE and Hungary's FGSZ, and each of them holds 16.67-percent share.
Currently, the Shah Deniz consortium considers two options to deliver its gas to Europe - TAP and Nabucco West. The final decision on a pipeline route will be made in 2013.