Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 19
By Maksim Tsurkov – Trend:
Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR plans to take part in expansion of the Chiren underground gas storage in Bulgaria, head of SOCAR Balkan Murad Heydarov told reporters Sept. 19.
“SOCAR is eyeing to participate in the project not as an investor, but as a contractor. The gas storage’s expansion is a part of the concept to expand Bulgaria’s potential for the Southern Gas Corridor,” said Heydarov. “A tender for the project is yet to be announced.”
Bulgartransgaz EAD, a natural gas transmission and storage system operator of Bulgaria, intends to double the capacity of Chiren and bring it to 1 billion cubic meters.
The project’s cost is estimated at more than 200 million euros – a part of which is expected to be financed with European funds.
The Chiren underground gas storage was created in 1963 and commissioned in 1974.
The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority energy projects for the EU. It envisages the transportation of 10 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas from the Caspian region to the European countries through Georgia and Turkey.
The gas to be produced in the second stage of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor at the initial stage.
Other sources can also join the project at a later stage.
As part of the second stage of the Shah Deniz development, gas will be exported to Turkey and European markets by expansion of the South Caucasus Pipeline and the construction of TANAP and TAP.
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