Over 53,000 pipes will be used in TAP construction

Baku. 18 May. REPORT.AZ/ Over 53,000 pipeline will be used in the construction of 878 km length Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), which has been established in Thessaloniki, Greece yesterday and will transport Azerbaijan's gas to Europe.

Report informs, 32,000 pipes will be used in Greek section of the pipeline, 12,000 in Albanian , 8750 in Adriatic Sea and 660 in Italian section. The total weight of pipes is 526,000 tons. 126,000 tons of it will be used in Albanian section, 323,000 tons in Greek, 72,000 tons in offshore, 5,000 tons in Italian section.

TAP's main contracts have been completed in April this year. In 2017-2018, construction of the offshore section will be carried out, by the end of 2019, construction works will be completed and Azerbaijani gas will be delivered to Europe in 2020 for the first time.

TAP, which is a part of Southern Gas Corridor project, will transport the gas produced within 'Shah Deniz II' project, to Europe. This pipeline will join TANAP (Trans Anatolian) pipeline in Kipoi territory on Greece-Turkey border and cross Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea before going onshore in southern Italy.

After reviewing various selection options during two years, on June 28, 2013, 'Shah Deniz' Consortium has officially declared selection of the project on TAP project. The pipeline will be 878 kilometers long, which 545 km will cover Greece, 215 Albania, 105 Adriatic Sea and 8 km Southern Italy. Highest point of the pipeline will be in the mountains of Albania (1 800 meters), the lower part (-820 meters) beneath the sea.

In the first stage, 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas will be delivered to Europe via the pipeline.

BP (20%),SOCAR (20%), 'Snam S.p.A.' (20%), 'Fluxys' (19%), 'Enagas' (16%) and 'Axpo' (5%) companies acting as TAP shareholders.