TAP Inauguration in Greece to Take Place May 17

Azerbaijan's energy minister Natig Aliev will attend the ceremony of laying foundation of the TransAdriatic Pipeline (TAP) in Salonika, Greece, on May 17, according to the ministry. “The official representatives of European Union and US as well as high ranking officials from Greece, Turkey, Albania, Italy and Bulgaria will attend the ceremony,” said the ministry May 16.

TAP will transport Azerbaijani gas from Shah Deniz-2 to western Europe through Greece and Albania.

The interests of the shareholders in TAP are the following: Socar (20%), BP (20%), Snam (20%), Fluxys (19%), Enagas (16%) and Axpo (5%).

The total length of TAP is 878 km, of which 550 km will pass through the northern part of Greece, 215 km through Albania, 105 km through the Adriatic Sea and 8 km through Italy.

The construction of the underground section of TAP in Greece, Albania and Italy will start in 2016 and will take 3.5 years. Construction of the subsea section  will take place in winter 2017-2018. Gas supplies via TAP will begin in early 2020.

Italian media quoted TAP's Italian manager Michele Mario Elia saying the pipeline construction started in Bari on May 13, 2016.

In December 2015 a joint venture between Enereco and Max Streicher contracted to build the Italian section of the pipeline onshore and lay the coastal pipeline and another contract has been signed with Renco to build the section to the receiving terminal with connection of TAP to the Snam Rete Gas network.

TAP will begin near Kipoi on the border between Turkey and Georgia, where it will be connected to the TransAnatolian pipeline (Tanap). TAP will pass through the north of Greece and Albania to the Adriatic. The underwater section of the pipeline will start near Fieri and end at San Foca, in Lecce.

Ilham Shaban