Test shipment of Azerbaijani natural gas from Shah Deniz-2 gas condensate field to Europe via Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline has started, Azernews reports citing Turkish media. 

According to the statement, the gas will pass through the Adriatic Sea via Trans- Adriatic gas pipeline, which connects to TANAP on the Turkish Greek border, and will be delivered to Italy.

Moreover, it was noted that Trans-Adriatic pipeline will start operating at full capacity in the first quarter of 2021, after the testing.

TANAP is the central part of the Southern Gas Corridor, which connects the giant Shah Deniz gas field in Azerbaijan to Europe through the South Caucasus Pipeline and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline. The pipeline has a strategic importance as it allows the Azerbaijani gas exports to Europe.

The capacity of the pipeline is 16 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year at initial stage and would be increased later up to 23 billion cubic meters by 2023, 31 billion cubic meters  by 2026, and at the final stage 60 billion cubic meters.

Trans Adriatic Pipeline is a pipeline project to transport natural gas, starting from Greece via Albania and the Adriatic Sea to Italy and further to Western Europe.

The pipeline would be supplied by natural gas from the second stage of the Shah Deniz gas field development in the Azerbaijani section of Caspian Sea through the South Caucasus Pipeline and the Trans Anatolian Pipeline.

The initial capacity of the pipeline will be about 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year, with the option to expand the capacity up to 20 billion cubic meters.