Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept.23
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
Italy will receive gas via the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) by the fourth quarter of 2020, Trend reports citing Luca Schieppati, TAP managing director.
“TAP is a priority of this government and the gas will arrive in Italy by the last quarter of next year,” he said.
He pointed out that TAP will give further flexibility to the country and strengthen its energy security.
“Together with the liquefied natural gas (LNG) it is a decisive element to guarantee the national gas balance. TAP will have a key role for Italy in diversifying sources,” said the managing director.
TAP project, worth 4.5 billion euros, is one of the priority energy projects for the European Union (EU). The project envisages transportation of gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz Stage 2 to the EU countries.
Connecting with the Trans Anatolian 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.
The project is currently in its construction phase, which started in 2016.
Once built, TAP will offer a direct and cost-effective transportation route opening up the vital Southern Gas Corridor, a 3,500-kilometer long gas value chain stretching from the Caspian Sea to Europe.
TAP shareholders include BP (20 percent), SOCAR (20 percent), Snam S.p.A. (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagás (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent).
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