The Trans Adriatic Pipeline has signed a cooperation agreement with the Albanian Immovable Property Registration Office in Tirana. The agreement enables TAP to establish, enhance and update cadastral data (property ownership, boundaries, and usage) within TAP’s pipeline corridor in Albania.
TAP requires information on land ownership in the proposed pipeline corridor and around planned pipeline compressor stations, so that TAP can start direct negotiations on TAP`s access to land along the pipeline with rightful owners. The correct data on legal owners will allow TAP to conduct this process in a transparent and fair way, according to the requirements of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
According to the agreement, the Albanian Immovable Property Registration Office will give TAP access to the existing cadastral data. TAP, in turn, will support establishing, updating and enhancing this data by collecting and providing information on property boundaries, ownership, rights and usage in areas which the pipeline will cross. TAP will use the technical requirements elaborated by the Albanian authorities in cooperation with the World Bank and the EBRD and will engage closely with all stakeholders during the data gathering process.
“It is a big achievement because it enables TAP to start land access work in Albania. It is extremely important to have correct data on the rightful owners and users of land, so that negotiations on easement and relevant compensation can be organized in a transparent and legal way, and so that the concerns of all stakeholders are fairly addressed .” – said Albert Haak, TAP’s Country Manager in Albania.
The section of TAP in Albania will be approximately 200 kilometres in length. It will extend from the Albanian-Greek border in the east to Fier in the west. The pipeline will cross 143 cadastral zones in Albania.
“ TAP has also initiated a similar cooperation with the Cadastre authorities in Greece in order to have access to all the land needed for the project before construction begins .” – added Dr. Kai Schmidt-Soltau, TAP’s Senior Advisor for Land Access and Corporate Social Responsibility .
TAP remains fully on schedule and aligned with the development of the second stage of Shah Deniz natural gas field in Azerbaijan, which is planned to come on stream at the end of 2017.
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LNG World News Staff, December 9, 2011