BP has confirmed plans to start up natural gas exports from Azerbaijan to Europe by the end of 2020, according to Reuters.

BP said in a statement to Reuters, “(This) will allow the Shah Deniz Consortium to finalize the final steps required to start the twenty-five years long supplies of natural gas from Azerbaijan to customers in Italy, Greece, and Bulgaria as planned by the end of 2020.”

BP is a shareholder in the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), part of the $40 billion Southern Gas Corridor project, designed to export energy from Azerbaijan’s offshore Shah Deniz field to Europe.

The Southern Gas Corridor project will draw from Azerbaijan’s giant Shah Deniz II field in the Caspian Sea and has the backing of the European Commission as it seeks to curb Europe’s dependence on Russian energy.

From the fully completed Southern Corridor, Turkey will receive additional 6 billion cubic meters (bcm) of Azeri gas per year, while Europe will take in 10 bcm.