TAP is Complete and Ready to Deliver Natural Gas to Europe

TIRANA, October 15

The construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, the biggest and most important investment in the Albanian energy sector has been substantially completed, the managing company confirmed.
The 878km long pipeline, part of the Southern Gas Corridor, is the first direct pipeline between the Shah Deniz II field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea and Europe.
According to the statement by the managing company, the pipeline has been filled with natural gas from the Greek-Turkish border up to the pipeline receiving terminal in Southern Italy.
Moreover, the Interconnection Point between the TAP pipeline and the natural gas transmission system of Snam Rete Gas in Puglia (Italy) is expected to be completed and ready to transport gas by mid-November 2020.
It took almost four and a half years to complete the project that travels through Greece, Albania, under the Adriatic Sea and comes ashore in Italy.
TAP will transport natural gas from the Caspian region to Europe by connecting to the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP).

In Albania, the pipeline route travels from the municipality of Devoll, in the Korca region, approximately 215 kilometers across the land, before entering the Adriatic Sea. TAP has a metering station at Bilisht, near the Albanian-Greek border, with eight block valve stations and one landfall station. The pipeline arrives at the Adriatic coast 17 kilometers north-west of Fier. TAP has a compressor station 400 meters inland from the shoreline.

Based on research by Oxford Economics, the operational effects of the project such as contribution to the GDP and jobs are scheduled to continue for 50 years, providing a consistent boost to Albanian economic activity.

Based on the available data 13,000 pipes were used in the Albanian section of the pipeline. TAP’s marshaling yard, the place where the pipes were stored, in Durres has the size of ten football pitches. The first steel pipes were shipped to Albania in April 2016. The construction of the Albanian section started in September 2016. Pipes shipment to Albania was completed in October 2017.
Over 200,000 tons of pipes, machinery, and equipment have been delivered to Durresi Port between April 2016 and October 2017. The deepest point of the pipeline in the offshore section is 820 meters below the Adriatic Sea level.
Till November 2017, over 210 sites and cultural monuments were discovered near the pipeline route. Several important discoveries were made, dating from the early Neolithic period to the 18th century, mainly in the area of Korca, Skrapari, and Berat. In May 2017, TAP uncovered an ancient settlement near Korca and, in July 2016, discovered a column capital part of the 6th century AD religious monument.

“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 decarbonization objectives,” the announcement says.

TAP’s shareholding is comprised of BP (20%), SOCAR (20%), Snam (20%), Fluxys (19%), Enagás (16%) and Axpo (5%).

Source/Photo Credit: tap-ag.com