Turkey unveils gas transit proposals to Azerbaijan
Turkish Minister of
Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz has for the first time
announced Ankara’s proposals on the transit of Azerbaijan’s gas
through Turkey’s territory.
In an interview with CNN Turk TV channel, Yildiz also claimed that statements by Azerbaijani officials that transit fees are too high had no merit.
According to him, Turkey has offered Azerbaijan a fee of $2.36 per 100 km for transporting every 1,000 cubic meters of the South Caucasus republic’s gas.
"The proposed fees are completely competitive. Russia charges $2.6 for transporting the same volume," the Turkish minister said.
We recall that during the "gas war" between Russia and Ukraine this January, Kyiv sought to raise transit fees for Russian gas giant Gazprom to $3 per 100 km in case prices for Russian gas increased.
President Ilham Aliyev told a government meeting on October 16 that Turkey is offering Azerbaijan fees that are 70 percent higher than European levels. On October 20, the Turkish energy minister maintained that this was not the case and the Azerbaijani president had been provided with inaccurate information.
Azerbaijan produces most of its gas from the giant Shahdaniz field in the Caspian Sea, which launched production in 2006. The field, operated by an international consortium, has the capacity to produce 318 billion feet of gas from its initial phase, with another 706 billion cubic feet expected from Phase 2, which is to begin in 2013. Turkey is the main buyer of Shahdaniz gas during Phase 1. During the second stage, Azerbaijan plans to export its gas to Europe.*
In an interview with CNN Turk TV channel, Yildiz also claimed that statements by Azerbaijani officials that transit fees are too high had no merit.
According to him, Turkey has offered Azerbaijan a fee of $2.36 per 100 km for transporting every 1,000 cubic meters of the South Caucasus republic’s gas.
"The proposed fees are completely competitive. Russia charges $2.6 for transporting the same volume," the Turkish minister said.
We recall that during the "gas war" between Russia and Ukraine this January, Kyiv sought to raise transit fees for Russian gas giant Gazprom to $3 per 100 km in case prices for Russian gas increased.
President Ilham Aliyev told a government meeting on October 16 that Turkey is offering Azerbaijan fees that are 70 percent higher than European levels. On October 20, the Turkish energy minister maintained that this was not the case and the Azerbaijani president had been provided with inaccurate information.
Azerbaijan produces most of its gas from the giant Shahdaniz field in the Caspian Sea, which launched production in 2006. The field, operated by an international consortium, has the capacity to produce 318 billion feet of gas from its initial phase, with another 706 billion cubic feet expected from Phase 2, which is to begin in 2013. Turkey is the main buyer of Shahdaniz gas during Phase 1. During the second stage, Azerbaijan plans to export its gas to Europe.*
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