Sensational Statement by Secretary General of "Gas OPEC" on Azerbaijani Gas Supplies to Europe

Azerbaijani gas supplies to Europe will begin in 2022-2025, Secretary General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) Sayed Mohammad Hossein Adeli said in an interview with Izvestiya.

According to him, Azerbaijani gas supplies to the EU will begin no earlier than 2022-2025, and Iranian gas supplies will start even later.

Answering the question of "Is it a political move, declaring rejection of Russian gas in favor of Azerbaijan or Iran?" Secretary General of the "Gas OPEC" said: "I do not see any economic reason."

According to him, the cost of production in Iran is over the Russian index [in Iran - about $ 50 per 1 thousand cubic meters; according to the June statement of Gazprom, in 2014 the cost of its production amounted to 1,435 rubles, and in 2015 it will be reduced due to the devaluation to below $ 30], while new transportation pipelines, including TANAP [built in Turkey to deliver gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field to Europe - News] are built very slowly.

"According to my observations, Iran wants to bet on liquefied natural gas, as it would be more profitable to supply gas to Asia across the Arabian Sea. The project of the Iranian gas pipeline through Turkey is a long-term one and there are no prerequisites fot that," Sayed Mohammad Hossein Adeli said.

Turan IA's note: The Azerbaijani government in December 2013 approved the project Shahdeniz-2, which is expected to produce first gas in Q4 of 2018. As part of this project it is expected to produce annually 16 billion cubic meters of gas, of which 6 billion cubic meters will be allocated to the Turkish market and 10 billion cubic meters to Europe. According to recent data, the supply of Azerbaijani gas to the Greek market has to start at the end of 2020. -12D—