Hungary eyes SGC as only real alternative to obtain additional gas volumes
By Aynur Karimova
The Southern Gas Corridor is the only real alternative for Hungary to obtain additional volumes of blue fuel, and it will participate in all forms and endeavor of the implementation of this project.
This remark was made by Hungarian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Imre Laszloczki.
He told Trend that only Azerbaijan could ensure the diversification of gas supplies to Europe and play a crucial role in the projects of the Southern Gas Corridor.
"This is consistent with the strategic interests of Hungary," the diplomat said. "The transportation of Azerbaijani gas to Europe is important not only for Hungary but also for the European Union."
Laszloczki also noted that today Hungary is 85 percent dependent on Russian gas, and this figure is very big.
The Southern Gas Corridor project envisages the transportation of the gas extracted at the giant Shah Deniz field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea. Shah Deniz Stage 2 gas will make a 3,500 kilometer journey from the Caspian Sea into Europe. This requires upgrading the existing infrastructure and the development of a chain of new pipelines.
The existing South Caucasus Pipeline will be expanded with a new parallel pipeline across Azerbaijan and Georgia, while the Trans-Anatolian pipeline will transport Shah Deniz gas across Turkey to meet the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline, which will take gas through Greece and Albania into Italy.
The Southern Gas Corridor is set to change the energy map of the entire region, connecting gas supplies in the Caspian to markets in Europe for the very first time.
The first gas supplies through the corridor to Georgia and Turkey are given a target date of late 2018. Gas deliveries to Europe are expected just over a year after the first gas is produced offshore in Azerbaijan.
The Southern Gas Corridor pipeline system has been designed to be scalable to twice its initial capacity to accommodate additional gas supplies in the future.
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Aynur Karimova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Aynur_Karimova
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