Baku. 31 May. REPORT.AZ/ Testing of gas supplies through the Trans-Anatolian Gas Pipeline (TANAP) designed to transport Azerbaijani gas to Turkey and from there to Europe, will start in January 2018.
Report Informs, SOCAR Turkey Enerji A. Ş. Director General Zaur Gahramanov told reporters.
"72.4% of the construction works within TANAP were completed in late April. The work is progressing in accordance with schedule, and testing of gas supplies will begin in January of 2010. TANAP will be ready for operation by the middle of next year," Z. Gahramanov added.
According to him, now they discuss which gas will be used for the test deliveries: "Most likely, this will not be gas from Shah Deniz. "Approximately 1-2 billion cubic meters of gas will be needed for test deliveries."
Notably, TANAP will satisfy 12% of Turkey's gas needs. TANAP phase until Eskishehir is scheduled to be completed by June 2018.
TANAP provides for gas supplies to Turkey and Europe within the second stage of development of the Shah Deniz field. The pipeline, which is part of the Southern Gas Corridor, is being built in Turkey and connected to the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP).
On March 17, 2015, groundbreaking ceremony of the TANAP was held in Karsç Turkey. Initial capacity of the pipeline, which is planned to be put into operation in 2018, will be 16 billion cum/year. About 6 billion cum of this gas will be delivered to Turkey, the remaining to Europe. The TANAP pipeline will have two starting points in Turkish provinces Eskisehir and Thrace. The sale of gas in Turkey will be carried out by BOTAS. The total length of the pipeline is 1 850 km. 19 km section of the pipeline will pass through the Sea of Marmara.