BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb. 7
By Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:
The Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) project will play an important role in improving the security of energy supplies, along with the diversification of gas supplies to the EU, Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation (GOGC) CEO Giorgi Bakhtadze said, Trend reports citing Georgian media.
“Until now, Georgia was a transit country of regional importance; through the territory of Georgia, Azerbaijani gas was supplied to Turkey. The position of Georgia as a transit country began to acquire international significance after the launch of the TANAP,” Bakhtadze noted.
According to him, before the commissioning of TANAP in 2018, Georgia received a maximum of 330 million cubic meters of gas from the Shah Deniz gas field.
"After the launch of the project, the volume of gas transported through the South Caucasus pipeline will gradually increase. The volume of natural gas transported in 2024-2026 and in subsequent stages will reach 22 billion cubic meters," Bakhtadze said.
According to the CEO, this will allow Georgia to receive up to 1.1 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year at a low price.
The opening ceremony of the Phase 1 of the TANAP was held in Ipsala, Edirne province of Turkey on Nov. 30, 2019.
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.
The volume of gas transportation to Turkey via TANAP has reached 3.08 billion cubic meters (bcm) since the start of commercial gas supplies on June 30, 2018 as of late October 2019.
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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