Azernews.Az

For Europe, the seemingly Herculean task of attaining a diversified energy supply came late last week when the consortium operating the Shah Deniz gas field of Azerbaijan, stewards of what is thought to be the largest natural-gas discovery in a generation, selected the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline to funnel product from Azerbaijan into Europe, Azerbaijan's consul general to the Western United States Nasimi Aghayev said in his article published in Washington Times.

The Trans-Adriatic Pipeline will bring an initial 10 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas a year across Albania and Greece, and into Italy. The first gas is expected in 2019, Aghayev said.

"Thus ended what has been referred to in the industry as "the Great Pipeline Race," in which industry chiefs, geostrategists and world politicians debated the best route to move energy wealth from Azerbaijan to Europe," the article reads.

"A lack of supply has shackled Europe in the past decade, first in 2006 and again in 2009,
when price disputes between Russia and Ukraine disrupted supplies and left Europeans shivering," he said.

Aghayev notes that the gas pipeline will bring reliable supplies of gas not only to Greece and Italy, but also to greater Europe, including the energy-starved Balkan region.

"Turkey, a big consumer of natural gas, also will benefit mightily. Then there are the spin-off benefits, including a nearly $2 billion economic benefit and 12,000 new jobs for Greece, as its government said, and an estimated 3,000 construction jobs for Albania," the article reads.

"What is good for Turkey and Europe is good for America as well. The United States has been a firm supporter of diversifying European and Turkish energy supplies as a strategic priority, and has welcomed Azerbaijan's commitment to its allies in Brussels and Ankara," Aghayev said.

"Indeed, for 20 years, Azerbaijan has committed itself to an independent energy policy. It was the first country in the region to invite Western energy companies to jointly develop its energy resources, and has been a gateway for investments in the wider Caspian region. Despite pressure from some quarters, Azerbaijan has proved itself to be a reliable supplier of oil and gas to the West.

"Though Shah Deniz is a massive natural-gas find, it is far from the only prospect in Azerbaijan," he said. "In the next 10 years, huge new gas fields, developed independently by Azerbaijan as well as in collaboration with its international partners, will come on-stream, leading to new export routes and new opportunities to strengthen Azerbaijan's contribution to global energy security," Aghayev said.

The Trans-Adriatic Pipeline is not the end of the story, but rather the beginning, Aghayev concluded.