Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan are negotiating on the delivery of Turkmen gas to Europe through the Southern Gas Corridor, the Energy Minister of Azerbaijan, Natig Aliyev said.
"There are two pragmatic options. The first option is to construct the Trans-Caspian pipeline, while the second option is to connect the platforms in the Caspian Sea through the subsea pipelines," he said in an interview with the ANS.
Natig Aliyev pointed out that the Southern Gas Corridor envisages the transportation of 16 billion of Azerbaijani gas annually, but at the same time it is open to other sources, including Turkmenistan.
"Turkmenistan claims about an opportunity of exporting up to 30 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas a year to Europe, but on condition of its sale on the country's border, in this case - on the shore of the Caspian Sea. At present, Turkmenistan can export up to 5 bcm of gas from the offshore fields annually with the further increase up to 10 bcm," Trend cited him as saying.
According to him, "this option creates great prospects for the Southern Gas Corridor".
Aliyev said that despite the reality of the construction of the Trans-Caspian pipeline, there are a number of unresolved issues, which do not depend on Azerbaijan. "Our position is that while constructing this pipeline, the country is creating opportunities for each country to export its gas to Europe," he explained.
"We are even ready to make additional investments, increase the capacity of the pipeline, build additional gas compressor stations, but the country needs guarantees in the form of long-term contracts of the potential exporters, including Turkmenistan, with the buyer-countries in Europe," Natig Aliyev concluded.
