BAKU, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Azerbaijan plans to raise gas
exports via the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP),
mainly to Turkey, to 12.2 billion cubic metres (bcm) this year
from 5 bcm in 2020, Saltuk Duzyol, head of the consortium, said
on Thursday.
By boosting gas supplies via the route, Baku is raising the
stakes in its rivalry with Moscow for the lucrative European
market following the start of Azerbaijan's gas sales to the
region in December via the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP)
pipeline.
Duzyol said that 6.2 bcm of the Azeri gas will be shipped to
Europe via TANAP. On top of that, 6 bcm will be sold to Turkey's
domestic market.
TANAP comprises the longest stretch of the $40 billion
Southern Gas Corridor, a series of pipelines that carries gas
from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz II field.
The $6.5 billion TANAP crosses the breadth of Turkey, east
to west, and could transport up to 16 bcm of Azeri gas a year.
The pipeline connects to the TAP, which became operational in
the end of 2020.
TANAP's shareholders are Azeri state energy company SOCAR
(51%), Turkish pipeline operator BOTAS (30%), BP (12%)
and SOCAR Turkey (7%).
(Reporting by Nailia Bagirova; writing by Vladimir
Soldatkin;Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
BP (BP.)
