Edison: New transit agreement completes legislative framework for ITGI

A transit agreement signed between Azerbaijan and Turkey completes the legislative framework needed to develop the ITGI project, Italian company Edison reported.

"Edison, as promoter of the ITGI (Interconnector Turkey-Greece-Italy) gas transit corridor, welcomes the agreement between Turkey and Azerbaijan over the gas transit to Europe as a key step forward for the opening of the Southern Gas Corridor," the report said.

Azerbaijan and Turkey on Tuesday signed a package of gas contracts, which includes issues of cost of Azerbaijani gas for Turkey in the second stage of Shah Deniz, volume of gas supplies to Turkey from the field after 2017, as well as a transit agreement for Azerbaijani gas transportation through Turkey.

The gas produced during the second stage of Shah Deniz field development is regarded as the main source for the 'Southern Gas Corridor' project. Within Shah Deniz-2 project, Azerbaijan is planning to deliver 10 billion cubic meters of gas to Europe. Now partners in the Shah Deniz development consider proposals from these pipeline projects to determine the route via which Azerbaijani gas will be delivered to Europe.

According to Edison, ITGI, together with its spur-line from Greece to Bulgaria (IGB), represents the most advanced and competitive option to open the new Southern Gas Corridor to import gas from Azerbaijan to Europe.

"ITGI is the most mature pipeline project since all major regulatory, technical and environmental procedures are completed, allowing the project to start construction works as soon as gas from Shah Deniz 2 field is allocated from the on-going commercial bid," Edison report said.

The ITGI project (Turkey-Greece-Italy pipeline) is one of the three corridors that envisage the delivery of gas from the Azerbaijani Shah Deniz field to Europe, along with Nabucco and TAP.


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