1. Between TAP and Nabucco: Who is the “WINNER”? Azerbaijan or Russia?
- Author:
- Ilgar Gurbanov
- Publication Date:
- 08-2013
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- BILGESAM (Wise Men Center for Strategic Studies)
- Abstract:
- Today, every new pipeline changes the market and geopolitics of region. Two months ago, the final decision made by Shah Deniz Consortium, surprised many people. The competition for which pipeline will deliver Azeri gas to Europe is “Almost” over. Although Nabucco-West was strongly and diplomatically supported by European Union and United States, Shah Deniz Consortium opted Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) which will be connected with Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at Turkish-Greek border. This decision totally paralyzed Nabucco-West pipeline project. Two shareholders of Shah Deniz consortium – BP and Statoil - fully supported TAP. Because, “under agreements signed with TAP during 2012, the Shah Deniz Consortium shareholders BP, SOCAR and Total hold options to acquire a combined 50% of TAP’s shares, thereby contributing to TAP’s construction costs.”
- Topic:
- Markets, Geopolitics, and Pipeline
- Political Geography:
- Russia, Central Asia, Eurasia, and Azerbaijan