Albania readies for Caspian gas

Albania's energy ministry and the TransAdriatic Pipeline operator (TAP) have agreed terms for designing and building a gas exit point at Fier, TAP said July 7. Once complete, it will be owned and operated by the Albanian government.

The new facility will enable an interconnection point between the TAP transportation system and future gas infrastructure in Albania and will "significantly strengthen the geo-strategic and commercial role of Albania in the region," TAP said. It did not say what the cost or maximum capacity would be.

The exit point will be constructed outside TAP’s compressor station in Fier and have expandable capacity and the possibility for bidirectional flow. It will include pressure reduction and fiscal metering facilities.

The prime minister Edi Rama said the deal could turn Albania "practically into a net exporter of energy," by "introducing gas as another component into the economic and social life of the country."

TAP CEO Luca Schieppati said he was pleased that TAP "continues to enable diversification and security of supply, providing a real opportunity for a new source of reliable, affordable, and cleaner energy to reach Albania and south eastern Europe in the future. The Fier exit point is an essential asset, which will facilitate Albania’s energy transition roadmap.”