Shah Deniz project: Azerbaijani gas delivery to Europe via Georgia underway

Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has welcomed the delivery of Azerbaijani gas to Europe via Georgia from the Shah Deniz field as the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) has began operations earlier today. 

With the Southern Gas Corridor pipeline system, Shah Deniz delivers ‘significant new energy supplies’ to Europe as a result of ‘close cooperation’ among the governments of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey.

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Calling it ‘a big step forward for energy security’ PM Gakharia has stated that the Southern Corridor ‘helps compensate the reduction in local gas production in Europe’.

Georgia will be receiving up to 500 million cubic meters of gas annually at least twice cheaper than the market price.

Until today Georgia was only a gas transit country of regional importance. It was conducting transit of Azerbaijani gas to Turkey and Russian gas to Armenia. Now it has become an international player”, Gakharia said.

He believes that from now on, gas transported on the Georgian territory will play an important role in diversifying EU energy markets and increasing supply security.

Economy Minister Natia Turnava has also congratulated all of the participating countries and consortiums on ‘this historic day’. 

She said this day is especially important for Georgia in terms of strengthening its energy independence. 

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Comprised of 3,500km of pipelines, the Southern Gas Corridor includes the South Caucasus Pipeline Expansion (SCPX) across Azerbaijan and Georgia, the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) across Turkey and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). 

The longest segment of the Southern Gas Corridor stretching from the Caspian Sea to Europe aims to meet the demands of the European and Turkish gas markets, while diversifying the natural gas supply and reduce Europe’s dependence on Russian gas.