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Trans-Caspian pipeline's construction absolutely safe, expert says

21 August 2015 09:20 (UTC+04:00)
Trans-Caspian pipeline's construction absolutely safe, expert says

By Aynur Karimova

The construction of the Trans-Caspian Pipeline is absolutely safe in case all of the necessary technical procedures are fulfilled, Telman Zeynalov believes.

The head of the Azerbaijani National Ecological Forecasting Center told Trend on August 18 that if all of the procedures prescribed in the relevant documentation are observed during gas pipeline construction, then danger is out of the question.

“While investing huge funds in the construction of such an important gas pipeline, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan will certainly fulfill all necessary procedures,” he said. "The process will likely to be thoroughly controlled by Baku and Ashgabat."

The 300-kilometer Trans-Caspian Pipeline is widely regarded as the optimal option to deliver 30 billion cubic meters of Turkmen blue fuel under the Caspian through Azerbaijan to European consumers.

Energy-rich Turkmenistan – which ranks fourth in the world in terms of the volume of gas reserves after Russia, Iran and Qatar, and produces about 70-80 billion cubic meters of gas a year – is keen on increasing and diversifying the supply of its huge volume natural gas to Europe.

Recently, as Azerbaijan together with its European allies commenced the construction of the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline, which would then connect to the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline and carry Azerbaijan's natural gas to Europe, Turkmenistan has expressed interest in the realization of the Trans-Caspian Pipeline.

The construction of the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline will greatly expand the diversification of the Turkmen natural gas supply routes, as well as create an additional guarantee for the reliable and stable export of Turkmen energy resources to international markets.

Azerbaijan is also interested in the construction of the Trans-Caspian Pipeline as it can provide huge benefits from the transportation the Turkmen gas via its territory.

The project is in the strategic interest of Europe at a time when the EU is trying to decrease its dependence on Russian gas.

The two Caspian littoral states, however, together with other three coastal states – Russia, Iran and Kazakhstan – should first reach a final agreement determining the legal status of the sea, which remains uncertain.

The abovementioned issue is the main tool used by Russia to actively oppose the construction of the pipeline. Russia aims to protect its hegemony in European gas market via the energy giant Gazprom.

Moscow also expresses concerns about the potential environmental consequences of building a pipeline along the bottom of the Caspian Sea.

However, by signing the agreement on the delimitation of their maritime borders with neighboring Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan showed the international community that its Caspian borders are de facto recognized.

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Aynur Karimova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Aynur_Karimova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz

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