The pipeline Tap (Trans-Adriatic Pipeline) enters the operational phase with the green light for commercial activities. The infrastructure - which from the Greek-Turkish border crosses Greece and Albania to arrive in Italy, on the Lecce coast - is capable of transporting in one year 10 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas, but the design foresees the possibility of doubling the transport capacity.
“The opening of a new reliable and sustainable energy route and the availability of a new gas source that will reach millions of European end users in the coming decades”, comments Luca Schieppati, managing director of Tap.
“Il Southern Gas Corridor opens the way for natural gas supply from Azerbaijan to Europe and is one of the most modern and reliable systems currently available for energy transport – continues Murad Heydarov, chairman of the board of directors of the trans-Adriatic gas pipeline – Essential component of the 3.500 km of the Southern Gas Corridor, Tap guarantees Europe a strategic and competitive supply capable of strengthening its energy security. At the same time, Tap offers a contribution to the European Union's goal of creating an integrated energy market and making a sustainable, secure and diversified energy mix available for the energy transition underway”.
In detail, the pipeline extends through the Greece (550km) and theAlbania (215 km), passes under the sea Adriatic (105 km) and ends in Italy (8km). En route it reaches an altitude of 2.100 meters in the Albanian mountains and a depth of 810 meters in the Adriatic Sea. To finance it, a project financing of 3,9 billion euros. The construction required 50 million man-hours worked and approximately 140 million kilometers travelled.
THETap's shareholding is made up of BP (20%), Socar (20%), Snam (20%), Fluxys (19%), Enagas (16%) and Axpo (5%). All partners approved the resolution regarding the development and construction of the project at the end of 2013.
