EU Commissioner: Southern Gas Corridor offers avenues for further co-op in energy

Baku, June 17 - Neftegaz.RU. The completion of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) offers the European Union and Azerbaijan in the energy sphere many new exciting avenues for further cooperation, for example regarding energy grid systems, renewables and energy efficiency measures, European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson told Trend.

"The completion and final commissioning of the SGC will mark an important milestone for the EU's relations with Azerbaijan. Because of the SGC, Azerbaijan is a strategic energy partner for the EU. The SGC therefore only constitutes a starting point but not the end point of our energy relations," she said.

Simson highlighted the importance of completion of the SGC's longest section, the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP).

"Tanap with its almost 1900 km is the longest stretch of the SGC. Crossing Turkey, it connects Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz II gas field with the border of Greece. I understand that the engineers were confronted with many geological challenges. Despite this, TANAP was finished according to schedule," noted Simson.

The SGC comprises the following 4 projects: (1) operation of Shah Deniz natural gas-condensate field ("SD1 project) and its full-field development (SD2 project), (2) the operation of the South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP project) and its expansion (SCPX project), (3) the construction of the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP project) and (4) 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.


Author: Leman Zeynalova