BAKU, Nov 15 (Reuters) - A final investment decision on aproject to supply European buyers with gas from Azerbaijan'sShah Deniz II field will be signed in a month, a source at Azeristate energy company SOCAR said.
"This decision will be made either on December 17 orDecember 19," the source, who is close to the project and didnot want to be identified, told Reuters.
Earlier this year, SOCAR and partners including BP and Statoil selected the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP)for potential gas deliveries to Europe over its Austria-basedrival Nabucco West.
TAP will utilise Azerbaijan's vast Shah Deniz II project inthe Caspian Sea, one of the world's largest gas fields with anexpected investment of more than $40 billion includingpipelines, and help Europe reduce its reliance on Russian gas.
Buyers of Azeri gas from its Shah Deniz II project are Shell, Bulgargas, Gas Natural Fenosa, Greek DEPA, Germany'sE.ON, French GDF Suez, Italian regionalutility Hera Trading, Swiss AXPO and ItalianEnel.
From around 2019 Shah Deniz II is expected to feed 16billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas per year to Europe, with 10bcm earmarked for Europe and 6 bcm for Turkey.