Botas to finish Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline on time
Turkish state pipeline company Botas plans to complete the Turkish section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline on
time.
"The Turkish side is able to build its section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline on time, so gas supplies from the
Shah Deniz field will begin in 2006-2007, as expected," a source in the Botas head office in Ankara told.
Participants in the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project said that bad weather in Turkey is delaying construction work on the
Turkish section of that pipeline. As a result, experts said that the construction delays may push back the launch
date for the pipeline, which would in turn lead to delays for the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline.
The two pipelines are being built in one corridor, using the same construction resources. Therefore, construction of
the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline can only begin once the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan is completed. The Botas source said
that "at the moment research work is continuing for the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline project and no deviation from
schedule is expected."
According to plan, the capacity of the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum, which stretches 225 km in Turkey, will amount to 30 bn
cmpy, Reserves at the Shah Deniz field are estimated at 625 bn cm of gas and 101 mm tons of gas condensate.
Shareholders in the project to develop the Shah Deniz field include BP -- 25.5 %, Statoil -- 25.5 %, LUKAgip -- 10 %,
TotalFinaElf -- 10 %, SOCAR -- 10 %, National Iranian Oil Company -- 10 % and TPAO -- 9 %.
