TAP construction completed by 86.5%

Construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), which is designed for transportation of Azerbaijani gas to Europe, has been completed by 86.5%, report informs citing TAP consortium.

"TAP construction proceeds successfully. The project is 86.5% complete and operations will start in 2020 under the schedule," the consortium said.

Notably, TAP pipeline, which is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor project, will initially supply Europe with 10 billion cubic meters of gas produced within the framework of the Shah Deniz-2 project annually. On the territory of Kipoi, near the Turkish-Greek border, the pipeline will be connected to the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) and run through Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea to southern Italy.

The Shahdeniz consortium officially announced on June 28, 2013 that it chose TAP, extending to 878 km in total.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the pipeline was held in Thessaloniki, Greece on May 17, 2016. The pipeline is expected to deliver Azerbaijani gas to Europe in 2020.

TAP’s shareholders are BP (20%), SOCAR (20%), "Snam S.p.A." (20%), "Fluxys" (19%), "Enagas" (16%) and "Axpo" (5%).