TAP pipe deliveries completed

Baku. 16 October. REPORT.AZ/ Delivery of the pipes to Greece, Albania and Italy for the construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), which will transport Azerbaijani gas to Europe, has been completed.

Report informs citing TAP consortium.

According to the statement, on 10 October 2017, the last shipment of steel line-pipes for the construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) arrived in Thessaloniki. The transport of 55,000 pipes was completed in approximately one year and a half. The first pipes arrived in Durrës, Albania in April 2016 and deliveries to Greece started one month later.

Approximately 55,000 pipes are used to build TAP. 32,000 pipes will be used in Greece, 13,000 in Albania, 9,150 in the Adriatic Sea and 670 in Italy. The weight of all pipes amounts to 520,000 tons.

John Haynes, TAP Project Director, noted: “This is yet another key milestone towards successful realization of the project. The entire logistics delivery process was carried out in line with the project schedule and to the highest safety standards”.

Notably, TAP, which is a part of Southern Gas Corridor project, will initially transport annual 10 bln cubic meters of the gas produced within 'Shah Deniz 2' project, to Europe. This pipeline will join TANAP (Trans Anatolian) pipeline in Kipoi territory on Turkey-Greece 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 TAP project. The pipeline is 878 kilometers long, 550 km of which 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.

TAP's groundbreaking ceremony was held in Thessaloniki, Greece on May 17, 2016. Azerbaijani gas will be delivered to Europe in 2020.

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