The 878-km Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) has kicked off commercial operations following four and a half years of construction.
TAP is a gas transportation system crossing Greece, Albania, the Adriatic Sea and Italy. It is the European leg of the Southern Gas Corridor, a gateway project that will transport 10 billion cubic meters (bcm/a) of new gas supplies from Azerbaijan to multiple markets in Europe.
The TAP system is designed with the potential to double its throughput capacity to 20 bcm/a.
TAP’s shareholding is comprised of bp (20 per cent), SOCAR (20 per cent), Snam (20 per cent), Fluxys (19 per cent), Enagás (16 per cent) and Axpo (5 per cent).
TAP’s shareholders have passed the resolution on the development and construction of the project at the end of 2013.
TAP transports natural gas from the giant Shah Deniz field in the Azerbaijan 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.
TAP will facilitate gas supplies to South-Eastern European countries.
TAP’s exits in Greece and Albania together with the landfall in Italy provide multiple opportunities for further transport of Azerbaijan gas to the wider European markets.