Construction Commences on Trans Adriatic Pipeline
Construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) begun on Tuesday with an official ceremony featuring Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.
The 48 inch diameter Trans Adriatic Pipeline, which constitutes the European leg of the Southern Gas Corridor, is a gateway project that will deliver 10bcm/a of new Caspian gas supplies to Europe from 2020.
TAP will transport natural gas from the giant Shah Deniz II field in Azerbaijan to Europe. The 878-kilometer (550-mile) long pipeline will connect with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Turkish-Greek border at Kipoi, cross Greece and Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Southern Italy.
TAP’s routing can facilitate gas supply to several South Eastern European countries, including Bulgaria, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and others. TAP’s landfall in Italy provides multiple opportunities for further transport of Caspian natural gas to some of the largest European markets such as Germany, France, the UK, Switzerland and Austria.
With first gas sales to Georgia and Turkey targeted for late 2018, first deliveries to Europe will follow approximately one year later in early 2020.
The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the most complex gas value chains ever developed in the world. Stretching over 3,500 kilometres, crossing seven countries and involving more than a dozen major energy companies, it is comprised of several separate energy projects representing a total investment of approximately $45 billion:
• The Shah Deniz 2 development, drilling wells and producing gas offshore in the Caspian Sea.
• Expansion of the natural gas processing plant at the Sangachal Terminal on the Caspian Sea coast in Azerbaijan.
• Three pipeline projects: South Caucasus Pipeline (SCPX) – Azerbaijan, Georgia; Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) – Turkey and Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) – Greece, Albania, Italy
• Expansion of the Italian gas transmission network.
• Possibilities for further connection to gas networks in South Eastern, Central and Western Europe.
Ian Bradshaw, Managing Director at TAP, commented: “Our commitment to this project along with the endorsement of all parties present here today will help ensure that we deliver gas to European markets on schedule, bringing significant economic benefits to both our host countries and the countries where Caspian gas will be sold. TAP will also help integrate and diversify Europe’s energy supply, making a significant contribution to improving its energy security.”
TAP’s shareholding is comprised of BP (20 percent), SOCAR (20 percent), Snam (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagás (16 percent) and Axpo (five percent).
Disclaimer: TAP pipeline fly-over animation used in this film is only a symbolic illustration of the proposed pipeline route and its associated infrastructure. The actual pipeline routing is not yet final and will be further refined.