German minister hails South Gas Corridor as "vital" to energy security
Germany's Secretary of the Ministry for Economy and Energy, Thomas Bareiss, has said that the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC), which is to carry gas from Azerbaijan to Europe, plays a vital part in Germany and Europe's efforts to beef up their energy security.
In an interview with Azerbaijani state news agency Trend, Mr Bareiss said: “For the first time in history, the SGC will provide EU countries direct access to gas from the Caspian region. It also means that the Azerbaijan’s role as a supplier of gas and a transit country for Europe, will increase. Thus, entering a new market, Azerbaijan will benefit from it.”
He added that the gas-rich South Caucasus country “will be a key supplier of gas through the Southern Gas Corridor and, therefore, plays a critical role in this project’s success.”
Mr Bareiss' comments come amidst a fierce, ongoing political debate in his home nation over the implementation and consequences of Nord Stream 2, the beleaguered pipeline that is set to deliver gas from Russia to Germany beneath the Baltic Sea.
The SGC is expected to shift at least 10 billion m³ of Azeri gas to Europe every year, and is set to be operational by early 2020.
There are three main elements to the corridor; the South Caucasus Pipeline, which runs from Azerbaijan's massive Shah Deniz gas field, through Georgia to Turkey; the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline, which runs from Turkey to Greece and Bulgaria; and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline, which will connect the Turkish pipeline to Italy via Greece upon its expected completion later this year.
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