TANAP Pipeline Opens for Business
The Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) began operation yesterday. The pipeline carries natural gas from Azerbaijan’s Shah Deniz-2 gas field in the Caspian Sea through Georgia and Turkey onward to Europe. Its starting point is the Turkish city of Eskisehir, where there was a ceremony yesterday to mark the opening, attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Azerbaijani President İlham Aliyev, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, and Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akıncı along with ministers, executives of energy companies and senior bureaucrats from shareholder countries.
The 1,850 km pipeline will play a key role in maintaining Europe’s energy security, reducing dependence on Russian gas supplies. TANAP is a compliment to the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline, which has been operating since 2005. The pipeline is also expected to improve the welfare of the countries it runs through.
At the inauguration, President Erdoğan said “This project is a product of a close friendship between Turkey and Azerbaijan. Transit countries have also played a key role. With this project, gas from Azerbaijan will be carried to Europe for the first time.” He also thanked the United States and the European Union for their support in the project. Construction on the $10 billion TANAP project began in March 2015.
Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Georgia to the United Nations, Kaha Imnadze wrote on his Twitter account, “TransAnatolian Pipeline #TANAP, anthr mega projct aftr #BTC is complete! #SouthernGasCorridor to supply Europe w/ Caspian gas is now functional. Strategic prtnrshp amng #Azerbaijan #Georgia #Turkey engances security+stability in region+beyond. Key for #SDG7 #SDG8 #SDG17"
TANAP is the central and longest section of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC). The SGC connects Azerbaijan’s Shah Deniz gas field to Europe through the South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP), TANAP, and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). The SCP runs from Azerbaijan to Turkey through Georgia and the TAP starts in Greece and runs to Italy through Albania and the Adriatic Sea. By 2023 TANAP's capacity is expected to reach 23 billion cubic meters of gas per year, and increase to 31 billion cubic meters by 2026. The European part of the project is expected to become operational in 2020.
President Aliyev thanked pipeline supporters the United States, Britain and the EU, and noted “strong regional cooperation between Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Georgia” in implementing the Southern Gas Corridor.
By Samantha Guthrie
Photo: TANAP
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