Fluxys to Sign Up for Trans-Adriatic Pipeline?

European gas infrastructure group Fluxys is considering taking a shareholding in the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project.

The Belgium-based natural gas infrastructure group is a major gas transit operator and combines gas transmission, gas storage and terminalling of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Discussions between Fluxys’ and TAP’s shareholders, which began in 2012, are proceeding with a view to include Fluxys as a shareholder in TAP shortly after the Shah Deniz Consortium has decided on the preferred European route to bring gas from Azerbaijan.

Commenting Kjetil Tungland, TAP’s Managing Director, said: “I am delighted that Fluxys is looking to join the TAP project. Their involvement in TAP fully underlines that TAP is a European Project and truly demonstrates that TAP can transport Shah Deniz gas to Western markets beyond Italy. This in turn, further contributes to Europe’s security of supply.”

Walter Peeraer, Managing Director Fluxys, said: “Becoming a partner in TAP would be a further step in our strategy of bridging the markets to foster security of supply and market liquidity in Europe. Through our partnership with Snam and our project to enable south-to-north flows from Italy to Switzerland and Germany, Azeri gas from the TAP pipeline could be moved straight into the North Western European markets.”