An 878-kilometre gas pipeline that crosses three countries – travelling over Albanian mountains and under the Adriatic Sea – was declared operational this week.
The Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) is a strategic piece of energy infrastructure that forms the last link in the mega Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) project.
The SGC covers several separate energy projects that stretch over 3,500 kilometres, crossing seven countries and involving more than a dozen major companies.
By the end of this year, SGC will transport 10 billion cubic metres of new gas supplies from the Caspian in Azerbaijan, travelling through Georgia and Turkey before coming onshore in Italy via the TAP.
TAP route. Image credit: bp.
It took four and a half years, and the involvement of thousands of people from multiple countries working together, to deliver the TAP on schedule and without incident.
On Monday, TAP’s Managing Director, Luca Schieppati, commented: “I am extremely proud of this achievement, made possible – first and foremost – thanks to the dedication and commitment of our people and everyone involved, the solid trust and unwavering support of our shareholders, all governments in the value chain and the European Union, as well as the suppliers and contractors that worked on the project.”
“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.”
About the Trans Adriatic Pipeline
TAP transports natural gas from the giant Shah Deniz field in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea to Europe. The 878-kilometre long pipeline connects with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Turkish-Greek border in Kipoi, crosses Greece and Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Southern Italy.
TAP will facilitate gas supplies to South Eastern European countries. TAP’s exits in Greece and Albania together with the landfall in Italy provide multiple opportunities for further transport of Azerbaijan gas to the wider European markets.
As a key part of the Southern Gas Corridor, TAP is strategically and economically important to Europe and essential in providing reliable access to a new source of natural gas. TAP plays a significant role in boosting Europe’s energy security, supply diversification, as well as decarbonisation objectives.
Below are a few facts and figures on what the TAP project has entailed so far:
- Travelling through Greece (550 kilometres), Albania (215 kilometres), under the Adriatic Sea (105 kilometres) and coming ashore in Italy (8 kilometres).
- Laying approximately 55,000 pieces of pipe, weighing a total of 520,000 tonnes; from an altitude of 2,100 metres in the Albanian mountains to a depth of 810 metres in the Adriatic Sea.
- Working over 50 million man-hours and driving around 140 million kilometres, without any major incident – a world-class safety record.
- Securing €3.9 billion for project financing and complying with the lenders’ robust social and environmental requirements.
TAP’s shareholding comprises bp (20 per cent), SOCAR (20 per cent), Snam (20 per cent), Fluxys (19 per cent), Enagás (16 per cent) and Axpo (5 per cent).
