TANAP Could Begin Soon, Erdogan Says

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that construction of the Trans-Anatolian natural gas pipeline project (TANAP) could begin as early as this year.

Reuters reported that Erdogan made the comment during a news conference with political leaders in Bratislava, the Slovakian capital, where he is on an official visit. Azerbaijani media noted that the Turkish PM also said there had not been progress in the case of Nabucco West.

The 1,240-mile TANAP pipeline is designed to carry natural gas from the Shah Deniz field in the Azeri waters of the Caspian Sea through Turkey to its western borders at Greece or Bulgaria. There it may link up with Nabucco West, a European Union-backed project.

In June, 2012 the Shah Deniz consortium of chose Nabucco West as the single pipeline option for the potential export of Shah Deniz Stage 2 gas to Central Europe.
The final decision is expected in this year.

See also: TANAP Will Make Turkey Leader in Energy