By  Trend

Construction of the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) will be completed earlier than planned, said Turkey’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Berat Albayrak.

He made the remarks while reviewing the construction process in the province of Canakkale, Turkish media reported.

Albayrak pointed out that currently, the construction of the pipeline’s underwater section in Marmara Sea continues at a high speed.

"If the pipeline's construction goes on this way, the project will be completed sooner," he said.

Further, the minister noted that laying of 1261-inch pipes through the Marmara Sea has also began.

Albayrak noted that TANAP is a vital and historical project in terms of ensuring gas supply security

Construction of the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline’s underwater section in the Marmara Sea commenced on Sept.23.

The length of TANAP’s underwater section is 19 kilometers. TANAP’s construction is completed by 82 percent.

TANAP project envisages transportation of gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field to the western borders of Turkey. The gas will be delivered to Turkey in 2018 and after completion of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline's construction the gas will be delivered to Europe in early 2020.

The length of TANAP is 1,850 kilometers with an initial capacity of 16 billion cubic meters of gas. Around six billion cubic meters of this gas is meant to be delivered to Turkey, with the remaining volume to be supplied to Europe.

The project’s total cost is estimated at $8.5 billion.