HOUSTON -- A major new Eurasian natural gas pipeline project in the works may require political leadership from the United States to see it to completion, a prominent ambassador is arguing as he tours the country to drum up support for the cause.

E.U. leaders fret over the continent's dependence on Russia for most of the gas that heats and powers homes. Russia's dominance in the sector is fueling the push to introduce shale gas extraction technologies in certain countries. Energy policy leaders are also considering other ways to diversify Europe's gas supply, through either increasing imports from northern Africa or the possibility of introducing imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Canada and the United States.

Meanwhile, the governments of Turkey and Azerbaijan say they are committed to building the Trans Anatolian natural gas pipeline project, or TANAP.

The proposed project would carry gas over 1,000 miles from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz 2 natural gas field and other Caspian Sea region hydrocarbon production centers through Georgia and Turkey to connect with Europe's gas processing and distribution system.

Proponents estimate the system would cost about $7 billion to build, but Turkey and Azerbaijan are expected to cover the entire costs of construction. The TANAP system would be operated jointly by the state-owned Petroleum Pipeline Corp. of Turkey, Turkish Petroleum Corp. and State Oil Co. of Azerbaijan (SOCAR).

But Azerbaijan's representative in Washington, D.C., Ambassador Elin Suleymanov, frets that interest among European politicians and the public is minimal. Europe would have to agree to an interconnection between TANAP and its systems for the project to proceed.

To build momentum, Suleymanov says, he is touring the United States and holding a series of events in the hopes of getting the government involved in winning European leaders over on the idea.

"The only way, from the Arctic sea to the Indian Ocean, where you could get eastern Eurasia energy resources to Western Europe without passing either through Russia or Iran is the Republic of Azerbaijan," he said during a talk with the energy industry press here last week. "That's quite significant by itself, and that's what we've been trying to facilitate."

At a recent stop in Houston, sister city to the Azeri capital Baku, Suleymanov explained how a recently christened oil pipeline from his country to Europe was made possible largely due to a robust campaign for support during the Clinton administration.

President Clinton's efforts to persuade Europe to welcome that project were the decisive factor in getting it built, he said, and he is confident that a similar campaign led by top U.S. leadership can help TANAP to become a reality.

"Today I think there is a dire need for American leadership on this issue as well," Suleymanov said. "We hope that increasingly that will be something that people will understand."

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Article by - Nathanial Gronewold, E&E reporter

Source - EnergyWire: Wednesday, October 10, 2012