EU favors energy partnership with Turkmenistan - UPDATE
By Gulgiz Dadashova
The European Union is extremely interested in expanding energy cooperation with Turkmenistan, said Malena Mard, the head of the EU Baku mission at the Caspian Oil and Gas forum kicked off in Baku on April 9.
Mard noted that Turkmenistan enjoys large reserves of gas that can supply the European markets.
"Currently, negotiations are underway between the EU, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. The matter is to build a Trans-Caspian pipeline, which will connect Turkmen reserves to the infrastructure to be established within the framework of the Southern Gas Corridor project,” Mard said
Europe has been eager to access the Turkmen gas for a long time. The West has been pushing hard to break the dominance of Russian natural gas and have been trying to sanction Russia over its actions in Ukraine.
The Trans-Caspian pipeline project is regarded as the optimal option for delivering Turkmen gas to European markets. The project envisages the laying of around 300 kilometers long gas pipeline under the Caspian to the shores of Azerbaijan. Further Turkmen can be transported to Turkey which has mutual borders with European countries.
The biggest obstacle to any deal between Turkmenistan and Europe on the Caspian gas supply could be Russia and Iran, while Azerbaijan- the initiator of the major energy projects in the region, favors the project.
Speaking about the Southern Gas Corridor that will bring blue energy to Europe from the Caspian Sea region and potentially the Middle East, Mard said the EU expects first gas from Azerbaijan to be received in 2020.
"Azerbaijan is an important trading partner of the EU. We look forward to the further expansion of trade relations with Azerbaijan. A foundation for long-term cooperation in the energy sector was laid with the launch of the Southern Gas Corridor,” Mard said.
The official emphasized that the EU will do everything necessary to complete the work on time. “We have no doubt that project will be realized on time and look forward to receiving Azerbaijani gas in 2020, " Mard said.
Referring to the Turkish stream project, Mard said the European Union is interested in all the projects that allow to diversify gas supplies to Europe.
The 3,500-kilometer South Gas Corridor that would finally end Europe’s dependence on a single pipeline started with the go-ahead to the South Caucasus Pipeline Expansion, which will connect the Sangachal terminal with eastern Turkey through Georgia. It will link up with the SOCAR-led TANAP to be connected with a third pipeline TAP on the Turkish-Greek border.
TANAP construction is due to be completed in 2018 and TAP in 2020 with first gas deliveries to Europe planned in the same year. The cost of the work on all four elements of the Southern Gas Corridor was estimated at almost $50 billion, according to the preliminary data.
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