ABC.az: SOCAR admits that gas pipe TANAP throws down a challenge to Gazprom with its South Stream

Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline (Trans Anadolu Dogalgaz Pipeline; TANAP), whose construction will be carried out by the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), BOTAS and TPAO, is going to become a direct competitor to South Stream of Russia’s Gazprom.

At today’s Baku forum on oil & gas processing and petrochemical complex (SOCAR OGPC Forum) SOCAR president Rovnag Abdullaev has claimed that TANAP will have capacity of 60 bn cu m of gas a year with a possibility of its increase.

"In 2015, gas production in Azerbaijan is expected to reach 30 bn cu m, in 2025 - 50 bn cu m that will enable to strengthen country’s position in the issue of energy security of Europe," Abdullayev said.

As a result, TANAP will become a direct competitor to South Stream on both the volume (capacity of the Russian pipeline is 63 bn cu m a year), and the place of entry in the territory of the EU (Bulgaria).  MORE