Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan to realize joint gas pipeline project

Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan will start the realization of the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline project by taking into account ecological risks, participants of the international conference on “Ecological aspects of the Trans-Caspian pipelines” said, ITAR-TASS reports.

The conference saw approximately 300 specialists from 20 countries. Ecologists, oil and gas specialists made reports.

Yagshigeldy Kakayev, head of the state agency for management of hydrocarbon resources under the Turkmen president, said that they are searching for ways to construct a gas pipeline along the Caspian Sea bed with fulfilment of ecological norms.

A set of specialists said that construction and exploitation of the Trans-Caspian pipeline will have minimal affect on environment.

A spokesman of OMV (Austria), part of the Nabucco consortium, said that Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan need to sign an inter-government deal.

Officials from Chevron (USA), Statoil (Netherlands), RWE (Germany) shared experience in constructing sea pipelines. They noted the great amounts of information gathered and research done needed for a full-fledged expertise.

The Trans-Caspian gas pipeline Nabucco is aimed at reducing the dependence of Europe on Russian gas by providing Azerbaijani and Turkmen resources. Turkmenistan will provide most resources.