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By Trend

The Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) will turn Azerbaijan into Turkey’s second largest gas supplier, Chief External Affairs Officer at SOCAR Turkey Energy Murat LeCompte told Trend.

"TANAP, which is the most important link of the Southern Gas Corridor, will not only strengthen energy supply security of Turkey and Europe, but will also contribute to development and stability of the region. Thanks to TANAP, the EU will gain a great advantage in meeting the increasing energy need in a secure way for years to come. TANAP also offers infrastructure both for the EU and potential suppliers for transporting additional volumes of natural gas that Europe may need in the future," he said.

LeCompte noted that with natural gas from Azerbaijan, TANAP greatly contributes to the energy supply security and diversity of the European Union.

"With 1,850 kilometers in length and 56 inches of diameter, TANAP is the longest and largest diameter international natural gas pipeline of Turkey, Middle East and Europe. TANAP will contribute to further development of current economic and political cooperation between Azerbaijan and the European Union. It will turn Azerbaijan into Turkey’s second largest gas supplier and EU’s new gas supplier," he added.

With its shares in TANAP and Shah Deniz, Turkey is no longer a simple transit country, said LeCompte.

"Turkey, which has become a country that has a say in each stage of the value chain from producer to the final consumer, has made great strides to reliably meet its increasing energy demand coupled with its growing economy in coming years," he concluded.

The opening ceremony of TANAP-Europe connection will be held on Nov. 30, 2019 in Ipsala, Edirne province of Turkey.

In this area, near the Greek border, TANAP is connected to the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), through which natural gas from Azerbaijan will be delivered to European countries.

Opening ceremony of TANAP's Georgian-Turkish border-Eskishehir section took place on June 12, 2018, in the Turkish province of Eskisehir, and commercial gas deliveries to Turkey began in late June 2018.

The volume of gas transportation to Turkey via TANAP has reached 3.08 billion cubic meters (bcm) since the start of commercial gas supplies on June 30, 2018 as of late October 2019.

The initial capacity of TANAP, which is the main segment of the Southern Gas Corridor, is 16 billion cubic meters of gas.

Around six billion cubic meters of this gas will be supplied to Turkey while the remaining volume - to Europe. After the completion of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) construction, gas will be supplied to Europe in early 2020.

The share distribution of TANAP shareholders is as follows: Southern Gas Corridor CJSC - 51 percent, SOCAR Turkey Enerji - 7 percent, Botas - 30 percent, BP - 12 percent.

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