Azerbaijan ups gas to Turkey by 50 pct

ANKARA - Reuters

Azerbaijan has raised its gas supply from its Shah Deniz field to Turkey to 20 million barrels per day, after a terrorist attack on the line from Iran. AA photo

Azerbaijan raised its gas supply from its Shah Deniz fields to Turkey more than 50 percent on Oct. 20 following a request by Turkish pipeline operator Botaş after sabotage halted gas flow from Iran on Oct. 19, a BP official told Reuters.

The daily flow from Shah Deniz to Turkey before the increase was 10-11 million cubic metres.

BP-Azerbaijan is the operator of Shah Deniz, which produces about 25 million cubic meters of gas per day.

This follows an increase in gas supplies to Turkey from Russian group Gazprom after saboteurs bombed a gas pipeline in eastern Turkey, halting the flow of Iranian gas and causing injuries to 28 Turkish soldiers.

Turkish energy minister Taner Yıldız said the line would be back in operation soon, but gave no timetable.

Gazprom Export said on Oct. 19 it had met a request from Botaş to increase supply via the underwater Blue Stream pipeline to a daily 48 million cubic meters from 32 million. Turkey is Gazprom’s second-largest natural gas consumer after Germany.

The outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has claimed responsibility for repeated attacks on pipelines in Turkey.