Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec.24
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
The Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project is more than 82 percent complete, TAP Managing Director Luca Schieppati said in an interview with Trend.
Specifically, he noted that in Greece, as of early-December, TAP has completed right of way clearance and stringing (approximately 550 km in total). “Also, over 547 km have been welded, 535 km back-filled and approximately 492 km are being reinstated.”
Schieppati said that in Albania, right of way clearance and stringing (approximately 215 km in total) have been completed, 214 km have been welded and approximately 177 km are being reinstated.
“This means that between Greece and Albania, around 97% pipes are already in the ground (back-filled),” said the managing director.
In Italy, TAP has resumed works for the completion of the Italian section of the pipeline, according to Schieppati.
“At the moment, works are under way at our pipeline receiving terminal, the micro-tunnel site and the exit point at sea,” he said.
In line with the Single Authorization permit granted by the Ministry of Economy in May 2015, TAP continues to progress its secondary permitting activities, the managing director said, adding that TAP has now secured the majority of its Verifications of Compliance.
TAP project, worth 4.5 billion euros, is one of the priority energy projects for the European Union (EU).
Connecting with the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) at the Greek-Turkish border, TAP will cross Northern Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea before coming ashore in Southern Italy to connect to the Italian natural gas network.
TAP shareholders include BP (20 percent), SOCAR (20 percent), Snam S.p.A. (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagas (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent).
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