TAP starts commercial operations

TAP starts commercial operations

Rome [ENA] Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) is a pipeline, which transports natural gas from Azerbaijan at the Caspian Sea to Europe starting from Greece through Albania and the Adriatic Sea to Italy.The pipeline is supplied by natural gas from the second stage of the Shah Deniz (Azerbaijan) gas field development in the Azerbaijani section of Caspian Sea through the South Caucasus Pipeline and the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP).

Since it will enhance energy security and diversify gas supplies for several European markets, the TAP project is supported by the European institutions and seen as a "Project of Common Interest" and a part of the Southern Gas Corridor . The pipeline starts at the Greece–Turkey border at Kipoi, Evros, where it will be connected with the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline. It will cross Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea and come ashore in Italy near San Foca. The total length of the pipeline is 878 kilometres , of which 550 kilometres in Greece, 215 kilometres in Albania, 105 kilometres in offshore, and 8 kilometres in Italy.

The offshore leg will be laid at a maximum depth of 810 metres. Laying steel pipes beneath the Adriatic Sea at depths of more than 800 metres, with a duty of care to the environment, was no easy feat. TAP contracted industry leader Saipem to lay the pipe-string on the seabed, using a specialist semi-submersible vessel. The pipeline is invisible from the coasts of Albania and Italy. Tailored approaches for the landfalls were designed, in line with the project construction methodology. TAP worked closely with environmental authorities in Albania and Italy to agree a strategy that would satisfy environmental criteria.

For example, the project avoided any harm to Posidonia and Cymodocea seagrass, bioconstructions and the Mediterranean Maquis onshore. Four and a half years after the inauguration of construction works in Thessaloniki, the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), an 878-km gas transportation system crossing Greece, Albania, the Adriatic Sea and Italy, began commercial operations, the TAP AG consortium reports. A diverse team of industry professionals worked diligently and effectively under challenging conditions to safely deliver a strategic piece of energy infrastructure on schedule.

TAP is the European leg of the Southern Gas Corridor, a gateway project that will transport 10 billion cubic metres (bcm/a) of new gas supplies from Azerbaijan to multiple markets in Europe. The TAP system operates in line with internationally recognized quality, health, safety and environmental standards, and is designed with the potential to double its throughput capacity to 20 bcm/a. TAP's shareholding is comprised of bp (20%), SOCAR (20%), Snam (20%), Fluxys (19%), Enagás (16%) and Axpo (5%).