First stage of TANAP gas pipeline construction completed - SOCAR chief

The Trans Anatolia Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) is 31.4% built and the first stage of the construction project is practically completed, State Oil Company of the Azerbaijani Republic (SOCAR) President Rovnag Abdullayev said in an article published in the official press.


"As of the beginning of August, in the context of the TANAP gas pipeline construction project, 31.4% of all work had been carried out. We can say that the first stage of construction of the gas pipeline has been completed and in the near future work will be continued successfully under the second stage," Abdullayev said.


Capacity on the South Caucasus pipeline is being upgraded to 23 billion cubic meters ( bcm) a year on schedule.


"In Georgia, construction and installation at the compressor stations have intensified. Construction of the metering hub has been 36% completed. Completion of all work is scheduled in 2018," he said.


SOCAR investment head Vagif Aliyev told the official media that about 21% of work on the TAP gas pipeline project has been completed.


"Overall, under implementation of Stage 2 of the Shah Deniz field development, expansion of the Southern Gas Corridor, construction of the TANAP and TAP gas pipelines, Azerbaijan's revenue is expected to be from $35 billion to $50 billion, depending on global oil prices," Aliyev said.


The Southern Gas Corridor will see creation of pipelines to transport Azerbaijani gas from Shah Deniz Stage 2 to Europe via Turkey.


Alongside Shah Deniz 2, other basic project components include expansion of the South Caucasus pipeline (Baku-Georgia-Turkish border) and construction of the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) (from Turkey's eastern to western border) and TAP, which will link Greece, Albania and southern Italy across the Adriatic Sea.


Azerbaijani gas shipments to Europe are slated to total 10 bcm in 2020. Another 6 bcm will be supplied to Turkey's western regions. The project will cost an estimated $40 billion.

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