Azerbaijani energy minister talks completion of last project within SGC

By Trend

The last project is planned to be completed within the Southern Gas Corridor in 2020, Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov said.

Shahbazov made the remark in Baku at the event dedicated to the sixth ministerial meeting of the Advisory Council on the Southern Gas Corridor, Trend reports.

“The last fourth component of the Southern Gas Corridor has been completed by 92 percent,” the minister added. “The Trans-Adriatic Pipeline project is planned to be completed by late 2020.”

Shahbazov noted that at the first stage, 16 billion cubic meters of gas will be transported through the Southern Gas Corridor - 6 billion cubic meters of gas will be transported to Turkey and the rest to Europe.

The minister also noted that in the future there is an opportunity to expand the capacity of the Southern Gas Corridor to 31 billion cubic meters, and after that - twice as much.

“The Balkan countries are interested in the future of this project,” added Shahbazov. “In particular, it is expected that Bulgaria will be the first among buyers of Azerbaijani gas, and then other Balkan countries will also have the opportunity to join this project. There are many promising gas fields in Azerbaijan and there will be enough gas for the second phase of the Southern Gas Corridor.”

The sixth ministerial meeting is being held in Baku within the Advisory Council of the Southern Gas Corridor. Among the participants are representatives of BP, Southern Gas Corridor, BOTAS, TPAO, TANAP, TAP, SNAM, Fluxys, ICGB AD, Transgaz, SNGN Romgaz SA, Uniper Global Commodities SE, Bulgargaz EAD, SACE, Plinacro and international financial institutions, namely, the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and European Investment Bank.

The first ministerial meeting as part of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council was held on February 12, 2015, the second meeting on February 29, 2016, the third meeting on February 23, 2017, the fourth meeting on February 15, 2018 and the fifth meeting on February 20, 2019.