Shahdaniz Stage-1 construction close to completion

The work is proceeding on schedule to produce first gas on September 30, marking the start of Azeri gas exports from the field to international markets through the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline, the company official Michael Skitmore told the press Wednesday.

BP Azerbaijan President David Woodward said 93% of the operations have been carried out since the project was sanctioned on February 27, 2003. $288m out of a total of $865m of the funds designated for this year has already been spent, he said.

According to AssA-Irada, the expenses for the operations within Phase 1 will reach $4.1 billion before the delivery of first gas from Shahdaniz to foreign markets in Q4 2006.

/AzerNEWS/