'TANAP to be guarantor of European energy security'

The Trans Anatolian pipeline project (TANAP) is the guarantor of Europe's energy security, SOCAR head Rovnag Abdullayev, who is on a visit to the UK, said in an interview with Cihan.

Abdullayev said Azerbaijani gas will be transported to Europe via this route.

Azerbaijan and Turkey have signed an intergovernmental agreement on the realization project of TANAP on June 26. It was ratified by the Azerbaijani Parliament this week.

Last December, Azerbaijan and Turkey signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a consortium that will build a gas pipeline to supply gas from Shah Deniz to Europe through Turkey. Currently, a 20 percent share in TANAP is owned by the Turkish BOTAS, and 80 percent belongs to SOCAR.

The pipeline's initial capacity is expected to reach 16 billion cubic meters per year. About 6 billion cubic meters will be delivered to Turkey, and the rest to Europe.

According to Abdullayev, British politicians are showing a deep interest in SOCAR and are following the company's activities.

He stressed that the UK's oil companies implement important energy projects in Azerbaijan, and further cooperation with that country will be extended to cover other sectors of the economy.


/Trend/