BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 13. Italy looks with interest to the Southern Gas Corridor’s possible expansion, Edmondo Cirielli said in an exclusive interview with Trend on the occasion of the Sixth Session of the Italy-Azerbaijan Intergovernmental Commission in Baku.
Cirielli noted that the Southern Gas Corridor is a strategic infrastructure for Italy and for the European Union.
“Especially in the aftermath of the Russian aggression on Ukraine, Azerbaijan’s gas supplies have been critical for Europe’s energy security and for sustaining the phase-out from Russian gas. Since its inauguration in 2020, the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) has transported over 40 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijan’s gas to Italy, making Baku the second largest supplier of gas of Italy. Based on the positive results achieved so far, the Italian government looks with interest to the possible expansion of the Southern Gas Corridor, based on market assessments and an active involvement of International Financial Institutions,” he said.
As a critical component of the Southern Gas Corridor, TAP transports natural gas from Azerbaijan’s Shah Deniz field in the Caspian Sea directly to European markets.
The Trans Adriatic Pipeline, the final leg of the Southern Gas Corridor, has transported more than 54 bcm of gas to Europe over the last five years.
Starting from January 1, 2026, TAP made available the additional long-term capacity under a new gas transportation agreement (GTA).