Italy Gives TAP Nine More Months to Complete EIA

Italy's government has extended the submission date for an environmental assessment of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) natural gas project, agencies reported.

The project company now has an additional nine months, until September 2013, to complete the report. In a statement, TAP said it was continuing to receive feedback after information-presentations and consultations with local communities along the projected route, especially in Lecce and San Foca.

"It is vital that TAP takes the necessary time to give appropriate consideration to all the comments received from our stakeholders," Giampaolo Russo, TAP's country manager for Italy, said.

TAP will transport natural gas from the Caspian region via Greece and Albania and across the Adriatic Sea to southern Italy, then further into Western Europe. The company says the aim is to enhance both security and diversity of supply for European markets, breaking a Russian strangle-hold on the market. TAP will open a new so-called Southern Gas Corridor to Europe.

Up to 353 billion cubic feet of natural gas per year could be channelled from Azeri territory to European consumers. Land and water surveys for the potential route were approved for the Italian section in September.

The BP-led group controlling the Shah Deniz gas field in Azerbaijan should decide by next year between Nabucco West and TAP as its transport artery.

The Italian section of the project would extend about 25 miles offshore and 3 miles onshore.