The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) is ready to offer a diversified system of oil and gas pipelines, infrastructure and other opportunities to Turkmenistan for the implementation of projects in the oil and gas sphere, SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev said.
He made the remarks during the Turkmenistan Oil and Gas Conference 2014 in Ashgabat on Nov.18.
“We are ready to offer our developed infrastructure, diversified system of oil and gas pipelines, terminals and other opportunities to the countries of the region, primarily, to our close neighbor Turkmenistan at any time for the implementation of projects in the oil and gas sphere,” he said.
Abdullayev added that the diversification of transport routes from the Caspian Sea will be a significant factor of strengthening the energy security of consumers and the states in this region and will allow reducing transportation costs and increase the profitability of commercial supply of hydrocarbons.
“Azerbaijan is open to the mutually beneficial cooperation,” Abdullayev said, adding that the groundbreaking ceremony for the Southern Gas Corridor project, aimed at transporting Azerbaijani gas to Turkey and Europe, was held on Sept.20.
Abdullayev said that the initial capacity of the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline (TANAP), which is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor project and is aimed at transporting Azerbaijani gas to the border with Europe through Turkey’s territory, is 16 billion cubic meters of gas per year with the possibility of expansion to 31 billion cubic meters.
Earlier, following the negotiations with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that TANAP could also supply Turkmen gas to Europe.
After the high-level negotiations held on Nov.7, Turkmenistan’s Turkmengaz State Concern and Turkish company Atagaz signed a framework agreement on cooperation in the purchase and sale of natural gas.
The construction of a 300-kilometer gas pipeline under the Caspian Sea to the coast of Azerbaijan is regarded as the best option for ensuring the delivery of Turkmen energy resources to European market. Further, Turkmen hydrocarbons can be delivered to Turkey, which borders the European countries.
