First test gas will be pumped into TANAP in January

Baku. 5 May. REPORT.AZ/ First test gas into the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP), which will transport Azerbaijani gas to Turkey and then to Europe, will be pumped in January, 2018.

Report informs, TANAP Director General Saltuk Düzyol told Anadolu.

He noted that at present, 80% of the works on the section from the Turkish-Georgian border to Eskisehir (Phase-0) has been carried out: "Mechanical works on "Phase-0" are expected to be completed by the year end. After that, commissioning works will begin. First test gas will be pumped in January, 2018. After the tests, the pipeline will be ready for commercial gas in June, 2018. We have launched talks regarding operations. A large number of workers have been received and currently, trainings are conducted for them", he added.

According to TANAP Director General, 45% works have been implemented in the section stretching from western Eskisehir to Europe (Phase-1).

S.Düzyol said that a total of 70% of the works has been completed on TANAP: "Underwater works on TANAP section passing through Dardanelles Strait will be implemented this summer. Malaysian "SapuraKencana" company will bring a self-balancing vessel capable of operating in the water without moving, to the region to construct sea passage. Two 36-inch underwater pipelines will be strung".

Notably, TANAP is a pipeline, which will transport the gas produced by development of second phase of Azerbaijan's 'Shah Deniz' field in the Caspian Sea to Turkey and then to Europe. TANAP, which is the branch of the Southern Gas Corridor project, is being constructed in the territory of Turkey. The pipeline will connect to Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), designed to transport Azerbaijani gas to Europe through Turkey-Greece border.

On March 17, 2015, groundbreaking ceremony of the TANAP was held in Kars, Turkey with participation of Azerbaijani, Turkish and Georgian Presidents. 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.