Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan.22
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
Swiss Axpo company, which is one of the shareholders of Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), is internally preparing for its role as a shipper and buyer/offtaker of Azerbaijani gas from 2020, a source in the company told Trend.
“As you know, Axpo has a 5 percent shareholding in the TAP AG consortium, which is implementing and operating the project. In this context, Axpo is a member of TAP’s Board of Directors. Also, we are internally preparing for our role as shipper and buyer/offtaker of Azerbaijani gas from 2020. This includes the setting up of operating and allocation agreements, the booking of capacity in the Italian gas network, the arrangement of trading processes and the like,” noted the source.
In terms of the process of TAP’s implementation, the source said Axpo is pleased with the status quo.
“TAP is more than 50 percent complete and, thus, remains on track and on schedule to transport gas from Shah Deniz field in 2020,” added the source.
TAP is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor which is one of the priority energy projects for the EU.
TAP project envisages transportation of gas from the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz gas and condensate field to the EU countries.
The pipeline will be connected to the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) on the Turkish-Greek border, run through Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Italy's south.
TAP’s shareholders are: BP (20 percent), State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (20 percent), Snam (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagas (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent).
TAP will be 878 kilometers in length (Greece 550 km, Albania 215 km, Adriatic Sea 105 km, and Italy 8 km). Its highest point will be 1,800 meters in Albania’s mountains, while its lowest point will be 820 meters beneath the sea.
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