BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 6
By Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:
The Trans-Anatolian Gas Pipeline (TANAP) will increase Georgia’s transit potential, Georgian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Zurab Pataridze told Trend.
“As soon as the Trans-Adriatic Gas Pipeline (TAP) project is connected to TANAP and the first gas from Azerbaijan enters the European market, it will be a huge success for us; it will also increase the transit potential, create new jobs,” the ambassador noted.
Georgia is a transit side in this project, and naturally, this project is beneficial for the country, Pataridze said.
The ambassador added that a branch of the Azerbaijani State Oil Company SOCAR, which is one of the country's main taxpayers, operates in Georgia. “A large number of our citizens work for this company,” said Pataridze.
In addition, Azerbaijan and Georgia are connected by many projects of regional and interregional significance, the ambassador noted.
“These projects strengthen our relations. We work together on many projects, including the Contract of the Century. We intend to strengthen our relations,” Pataridze said.
The opening ceremony of the Phase 1 of the TANAP was held on Nov. 30, 2019. The opening ceremony took place in Ipsala, Edirne province of Turkey.
In this area, near the Greek border, TANAP is connected to the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), through which natural gas from Azerbaijan will be delivered to European countries.
Opening ceremony of TANAP's Phase 0 took place on June 12, 2018, in the Turkish province of Eskisehir, and commercial gas deliveries to Turkey began in late June 2018.
As of late October 2019, the volume of gas transportation to Turkey via TANAP has reached 3.08 billion cubic meters since the start of commercial gas supplies on June 30, 2018.
The initial capacity of TANAP, which is the main segment of the Southern Gas Corridor, is 16 billion cubic meters of gas.
Around six billion cubic meters of this gas will be supplied to Turkey while the remaining volume - to Europe. After the completion of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) construction, gas will be supplied to Europe in early 2020.
The share distribution of TANAP shareholders is as follows: Southern Gas Corridor CJSC - 51 percent, SOCAR Turkey Enerji - 7 percent, Botas - 30 percent, BP - 12 percent.
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