Flow of Azeri gas to Greece suspended
The transportation of Azerbaijan's gas to Greece through Turkey has
been suspended, Turkish media reported.
The halt was caused by the shortage of gas in Turkey, which sells it to Greece. Inclement weather in Iran had triggered a reduction of gas flow from this country since the first days of 2008. A delegation of Turkish contractor BOTAS has visited Iran in a bid to restore supplies in full but to no avail. A few days ago the transportation of gas was halted altogether.
The halt has prompted Turkey to meet its domestic demand on account of the gas it receives from the biggest Azerbaijani offshore gas-condensate field Shahdaniz. As for Greece, it moved to eliminate the shortage by increasing transportation of Russian behemoth Gazprom's gas through the Blue Stream pipeline.
The gas is delivered through the Turkey-Greece pipeline that transports natural gas from the Caspian Sea, Central Asia and the Middle East.
Turkey began to receive gas from Azerbaijan in 2007.
The US Department of State spokesman Sean McCormack told the press that the suspension should not be considered as a halt in the transportation of Azerbaijan's gas to Europe, as it is still taken to Turkey. He said Iran's being "an unreliable partner" was the key reason for the problem.
McCormack reminded that Iran reduced the supplies of gas to Turkey by 75% since January 1 and stopped supplying it on January 7 altogether. He said the situation indicates once again that European countries should diversify their supplies by seeking various sources and routes.
The halt was caused by the shortage of gas in Turkey, which sells it to Greece. Inclement weather in Iran had triggered a reduction of gas flow from this country since the first days of 2008. A delegation of Turkish contractor BOTAS has visited Iran in a bid to restore supplies in full but to no avail. A few days ago the transportation of gas was halted altogether.
The halt has prompted Turkey to meet its domestic demand on account of the gas it receives from the biggest Azerbaijani offshore gas-condensate field Shahdaniz. As for Greece, it moved to eliminate the shortage by increasing transportation of Russian behemoth Gazprom's gas through the Blue Stream pipeline.
The gas is delivered through the Turkey-Greece pipeline that transports natural gas from the Caspian Sea, Central Asia and the Middle East.
Turkey began to receive gas from Azerbaijan in 2007.
The US Department of State spokesman Sean McCormack told the press that the suspension should not be considered as a halt in the transportation of Azerbaijan's gas to Europe, as it is still taken to Turkey. He said Iran's being "an unreliable partner" was the key reason for the problem.
McCormack reminded that Iran reduced the supplies of gas to Turkey by 75% since January 1 and stopped supplying it on January 7 altogether. He said the situation indicates once again that European countries should diversify their supplies by seeking various sources and routes.
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