BAKU, Azerbaijan, Dec.18
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
The year 2019 was marked by a number of milestones for the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, Vugar Veysalov, TAP Head of External Affairs, told Trend
This included the successful introduction of first natural gas into the Greek section of the pipeline (as part of the testing phase) and laying the first offshore pipes in Albanian waters, he said.
“We also launched a market test to allow natural gas shippers to express interest, and in a later phase, secure access to new, long-term capacity in TAP, and completed a number of social and environmental investment projects, such as the inauguration of several schools and kindergartens in Albania,” noted Veysalov.
Below are some details of the major achievements in the implementation of TAP project in 2019:
TAP laid first offshore pipes in Albanian waters
TAP’s first ever offshore pipelines in Albania were successfully pulled ashore on March 30. The pipeline head reached kilometre point 0, where the offshore joins with the onshore section.
For this operation, TAP’s engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) contractor for the offshore section of the project, Saipem, used its pipelay barge Castoro 10. Steel pipes were welded together on board the vessel, which was located 1.4km from the beach. The welds were then tested and the pipeline was lowered onto the seabed. The first 1.8km of welded pipe was pulled ashore at the landfall near Fier.
Market test
Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG launched a market test on July 1 to allow natural gas shippers to express interest, and in a later phase, potentially secure access to new, long-term capacity in TAP, thereby enabling the future expansion of the pipeline capacity.
TAP’s Market Test is structured in 2 main phases:
Non-binding phase: starting 1 July 2019.
Binding phase: expected to start earliest in Q2 2020.
TAP introduced first natural gas into Greek section
On 25 November, the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) AG started to introduce the first natural gas into a 2 km section of the pipeline in Greece between the Evros river and the Kipoi compressor station. This is the initial stage of the pipeline commissioning process, which aims to ensure that the infrastructure is entirely safe and ready for operations after the completion of the process, in line with national and international safety and operational standards.
TAP is 90.7 percent complete as of late November 2019.
TAP will transport natural gas from the giant Shah Deniz II field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea to Europe. The 878 km long pipeline connects with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Turkish-Greek border in Kipoi, crosses Greece and Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Southern Italy.
First gas deliveries to Europe via TAP will start in October 2020.
TAP’s routing can facilitate gas supply to several South Eastern European countries. TAP’s landfall in Italy provides multiple opportunities for further transport of Caspian gas to the wider European markets.
TAP promotes economic development and job creation along the pipeline route; it is also a major source of foreign direct investment.
TAP’s shareholding is comprised of BP (20 percent), SOCAR (20 percent), Snam (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagás (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent).
---
Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn