Minister: "The Southern Gas Corridor is not rival to other gas transportation systems"

The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the largest infrastructure projects in the world, and the pipeline has been transporting Azerbaijani gas to Europe since December 31, 2020, Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov said in an interview with Russia's Neftegazovaya Vertikal magazine.

The Minister reminded that according to the agreements, 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas will be supplied to the European market per year during the next 25 years: "This project contributes to the region's energy security in terms of diversification of sources and supply routes."

Bu boru kəmərinin digər qaz nəqli sistemləri ilə "anlaşmaq" məsələsinə gəlincə, P. Şahbazov qeyd edib ki, Cənub Qaz Dəhlizi və digər qaz nəqli sistemləri ilə rəqib deyil, əksinə, bir-birini tamamlayırlar.

P. Shahbazov noted that the Southern Gas Corridor and other gas transportation systems are not rivals but complement each other.

The Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) transports natural gas from the giant Shah Deniz field in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea to Europe. The 878 km long pipeline connects with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Turkish-Greek border in Kipoi, crosses Greece and Albania and the Adriatic Sea before coming ashore in Southern Italy.

The TAP will facilitate gas supplies to South Eastern European countries through prospective interconnectors. In particular, Bulgaria will be able to cover up to 33% of its total gas demand through TAP after the completion of the Interconnector Greece Bulgaria (IGB). TAP's exits in Greece and Albania together with the landfall in Italy provide multiple opportunities for further transport of gas from Azerbaijan to the broader European markets.

As a key part of the Southern Gas Corridor, TAP is strategically and economically important to Europe and essential in providing reliable access to a new source of natural gas. TAP plays a significant role in boosting Europe's energy security, supply diversification, as well as decarbonization objectives.