26-05-06
Turkish Energy Minister Hilmi Guler said that
Azeri natural gas would reach Greece via Turkey by end of 2006 and it would
eventually reach Italy too.
"At the end of the year, Turkey will send Azeri natural gas to Greece," Guler
told a gathering of Turkish investors, adding, "from there it would eventually
go to Italy."
Guler said that Turkey would add to the security Europe's future energy supply,
stating, "We are enriching Europe."
The pipeline is part of Turkey's larger plan to become a regional hub between
Europe and the natural oil and gas producers of the Caspian Sea and the Middle
East. The construction of the pipeline started last July in a ceremony held at
the middle of the bridge over Evros River, the natural frontier between Greece
and Turkey.
Stretching over 300 km, 209 km of which is on Turkish territory, the pipeline
will transport gas from Azerbaijan and other Caucasus producers to European
countries. Starting with a capacity of 3.5 bn cm per year, the pipeline will
eventually be able to handle an annual 11.5 bn cm.
The cost for the Greek part has been estimated at between EUR 30-40 mm, and
for the Turkish part at EUR 250 mm.
Another major project, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, which will carry
Azeri oil through Georgia to the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan and from
there to world markets, is expected to be officially inaugurated in July.
Source: www.hurriyetim.com.tr