Ministry: TAP to bolster Azerbaijan's strategic role in energy security

By Ayya Lmahamad

The Energy Ministry has stated that the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), as another energy link connecting Azerbaijan with Europe, will strengthen Azerbaijan's strategic role in energy security, cooperation and sustainable development.

" As a new transmission system operator, developed and built-in compliance with best industry practices and standards, TAP enables double diversification:  a new, reliable and sustainable energy route and source of gas reaching millions of European end-users, for decades to come," TAP's Managing Director Luca Schieppati said.

The TAP AG consortium earlier declared that TAP, a gas transportation system that will transport the Azerbaijani natural gas to Europe, is ready to start commercial operations. It described the completion of the pipeline's construction and the commencement of commercial operations as important steps in the commissioning of the Southern Gas Corridor.

Moreover, Chairman of TAP's Board of Directors Murad Heydarov noted that Southern Gas Corridor is one of the most modern and reliable systems currently available for transporting energy.

"As a key component of the 3,500-km Southern Gas Corridor, TAP combines strategic and market competitive features. It ensures that Europe can receive supplies from yet another source while supporting the key EU objectives of achieving an integrated energy market, and a sustainable, secure and diversified energy mix, contributing to ongoing streams towards clean energy transition," he added.

The Southern Gas Corridor is an initiative of the European Commission for a natural gas supply route from Caspian and Middle Eastern regions to Europe. The route from Azerbaijan to Europe consists of the South Caucasus Pipeline, the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline.

TAP is a pipeline project to transport natural gas, starting from Greece via Albania and the Adriatic Sea to Italy and further to Western Europe.

The pipeline would be supplied by natural gas from the second stage of Azerbaijan’s Shah Deniz gas field development in the Azerbaijani section of Caspian Sea through the South Caucasus Pipeline and 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 total length of the pipeline will be 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.

The initial capacity of the pipeline will be about 10 billion cubic metres of natural gas per year, with the option to expand the capacity up to 20 billion cubic metres.

TAP’s shareholders are BP (20 percent), SOCAR (20 percent), Snam (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagás (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent).

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Ayya Lmahamad is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @AyyaLmahamad

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