The Trans-Caspian pipeline: implications for the five littoral states

cason, bryce a.;

Central Asia is strategically located at the crossroads of many natural gas production
and consumption regions. Historically isolated because of lack of infrastructure and
Soviet control, multiple projects are being proposed to transport gas from the rich
reserves found in the Caspian Basin both eastward and westward. Littoral nations on
the shore of the Caspian Sea are in a time of significant energy growth as the European Union has sought to eliminate reliance on Russian gas supply. The Trans-Caspian Pipeline (TCP) is one of these proposed projects. It would transport gas from
Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan through the seabed of the Caspian Sea from which it
could be transported on to Europe, eliminating Russia from the transport process.
In this article, we will look at the background of the pipeline�s proposal, setbacks
arising, and how the construction would affect each of the five littoral nations