Russian gas may be supplied to Europe via Azerbaijan's TANAP

The new Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP - Azerbaijan-Turkey-Europe) that is currently under construction may be used by Russia’s natural gas giant Gazprom for the supply of Russian gas to the south of Europe, instead of the South Stream pipeline, deputy head of the National Energy Security Fund Aleksei Grivach told TASS on Monday.

Grivach said the new project (TANAP), supported by the European Union, envisages the supply of Azerbaijani gas to European Union countries and is designed to transport 30 billion cubic meters per year. However, Azerbaijan is unlikely to be able to supply more than 15 billion cubic meters, so Gazprom has the right to count on the remaining capacity in the pipe. “However, anything may be expected from the EU,” Grivach said, according to TASS.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday, “in view of the growing needs of Turkey, we are ready not only to expand the Blue Stream pipeline, but also to build another pipeline system to meet the growing needs of the Turkish economy. In the current situation, Russia cannot launch the South Stream gas pipeline project, the Russian president noted. However, Russia is ready to build another pipeline transportation system to meet Turkey’s economic needs and create additional gas hub on the border, he said. “If this idea is considered to be expedient, we can create an additional gas hub for consumers in southern Europe in the Turkish territory on the border with Greece,” Putin said.

According to Director General of the National Energy Institute Sergei Pravosudov, the construction of a new gas pipeline to Turkey will be able to resolve the issue of the use of the Southern Corridor capacities built in Russia, which were created for Russian gas supplies thought the South Stream pipeline.

The new idea of the hub creation in southern Europe will solve the problem with the supply of natural gas to Bulgaria and Greece, bypassing Ukraine. “It will take some funds to reverse Bulgaria’s gas pipeline system,” Grivach added.

According to previous TASS report, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia freezes the South Stream project and intends to build a new gas transportation system to Turkey, creating a gas hub on its border with Greece.

“If Europe does not want to implement it (South Stream project), then it will not be implemented,” he said, adding that everything was ready in Russia for the work on the South Stream project.

Turkey attaches great importance to the implementation of projects of the Trans Anatolian (TANAP) and Trans Adriatic (TAP) pipelines the sections of which pass through the territory of the republic. “Turkey plays an important role in these projects. They are implemented to meet the fuel needs that Europe will have by 2035,” Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said previously.

The South Stream project, worth EUR 15.5 billion was designed for the supply of 67 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year. Now the capacities of the Blue Stream pipeline, which supplies Russian gas to Turkey under the Black Sea are 16 billion cubic meters a year. Turkey has repeatedly suggested that the Russian Federation should use its territory as a starting point of Russian gas supplies to Europe. (News.Az)