TAP Starts Integrity Tests

The owners of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) have begun to test the line's integrity, starting at a 2-km section in Greece between the River Evros and the Kipoi compressor station, the consortium announced November 25. 

Following the commissioning of the first section, gas will continue to be gradually introduced into other sections of the line in Greece, Albania and Italy in the upcoming weeks and months.

TAP is the last, European section of the Southern Gas Corridor, aimed to transit 10bn m³/yr from Azerbaijan to Europe. It is 90.5% complete as of end-October, and deliveries in a restricted amount are to start in October 2020. The line is planned to be at capacity in a year.

TAP managing director Luca Schieppati said the upcoming months will be key in ensuring the pipeline is commissioned and progressively tested to be ready for October 2020.

The 878-km long pipeline connects with the TransAnatolian Pipeline (Tanap) at the Turkey-Greek border in Kipoi, crosses Greece and Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in southern Italy. The last portion has proved the hardest, owing to local opposition.

TAP’s shareholders are BP (20%), Azeri state Socar (20%), Italian Snam (20%), Belgian Fluxys (19%), Spanish Enagas (16%) and Swiss Axpo (5%).