BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 12. Amid world
financial instability, Azerbaijan’s mitigating position in vitality disaster
is quickly rising. With Azerbaijan and the EU agreeing on
doubling the provides of Azerbaijani fuel by 2027, the nation’s fuel
exports to Europe are anticipated to be 20 bcm, whereas this yr at
least 11.6 bcm is deliberate to be equipped. Moreover, Azerbaijan’s
complete fuel exports this yr are anticipated at 24 bcm.
President Ilham Aliyev, commenting on Azerbaijan’s vitality
sources export potential, mentioned that “Azerbaijan’s fields will
provide fuel to worldwide markets for a minimum of one other 100 years,
i.e. as applied sciences develop, manufacturing alternatives will
improve. Therefore, 2.6 trillion cubic meters is the confirmed
minimal quantity of our potential”.
However, Azerbaijan is all the time keen to interact in different promising
initiatives. A possible enlargement of the Southern Gas Corridor
(SGC) by way of the Trans-Caspian fuel pipeline from Turkmenistan can
considerably improve fuel provide to Europe with Azerbaijan being
the centerpiece.
As President Ilham Aliyev famous, “this challenge might be
economically viable, however a feasibility research is required, of
course. This have to be confirmed. Contracts have to be signed with the
house owners of fuel and its worth stipulated. Because the longer the
distance, the upper the associated fee. But we’ve all the time given political
help to this challenge. If we’re approached about this challenge,
we’ll do our greatest to assist”.
Turkmenistan ought to seize this chance now, as a result of the
window of alternative for attracting overseas funding in any
fossil-fuel initiatives, no matter measurement, is closing, Allan
Mustard, co-founder and co-head of the Trans-Caspian Resources
vitality startup, Former US Ambassador to Turkmenistan, informed Trend.
According to the ambassador, Europe wants to exchange one thing
between 55 and 70 billion cubic meters of pure fuel that used to
come from Russia, and realistically that should come from a mess
of sources.
“In one other six months, European fuel corporations could effectively have
lined up adequate different sources of pure fuel such that
they aren’t taken with negotiating with Ashgabat. Turkmenistan
must method European fuel corporations, and, in fact, SOCAR,
which is the plain middleman,” he mentioned.
Trans-Caspian Resources, on this case, can assemble an
worldwide consortium that can elevate funds to finance and
assemble a number of brief connector pipelines, the ambassador
added.
“Time is of the essence, which was made clear by the European
Commission’s latest assertion on the necessity for vitality this yr.
Turkmengas, Turkmenoil, and the oil platform operators needs to be
empowered by presidential decree to barter with SOCAR, Türkiye,
and Trans-Caspian Resources on making this challenge occur,” he
harassed.
Mustard famous that, on the similar time, for this challenge to work
out, the West have to be able to make a large funding of a number of
billion {dollars} in fossil gasoline infrastructure, significantly since
it might be accomplished and in service solely after a number of years.
Overall, there’s a nice potential for Azerbaijan’s cooperation
with Central Asian nations within the vitality area. Aside from the
apparent prospects for cooperation in hydrocarbons – Kazakhstan’s
oil and Turkmenistan’s fuel – there’s nice potential for
technology of electrical energy from renewable sources, the ambassador
added.
Clearly, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan have immense potential to
carry their cooperation to a complete new degree.
This farsighted technique has made it attainable for Azerbaijan to
be thought-about as a dependable, high-valued associate. Now, the EU is
able to enter into critical negotiations with Azerbaijan. Times,
when the SGC was of second significance, are gone. Today, the
huge capacities that Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea have,
particularly concerning the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), and the
Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP), are being
acknowledged.
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Follow the writer on Twitter: @mariiiakhm
