TAP on Pace with Shah Deniz Schedule

The Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project is proceeding on schedule, in line with the Shah Deniz fields, TAP has said.

Speaking to the Trend News Agency, Lisa Givert, Head of Communications at TAP Project said the company was on schedule for national and Shah Deniz production deadlines.

"We have a large team of Greek and international experts managing our comprehensive IPC (integrated permitting concept) to ensure we are fully in line with national as well as Shah Deniz' schedules and we are fully in line," she said.

"It (TAP) has submitted its key studies and permit applications, such as the Preliminary Environmental and Social Impact Assessments, Independent Natural Gas System Application, Capacity Request etc, and many more will follow throughout this process."

On Monday, the TAP consortium said it was progressing with its obligations under Greek law to avail of Greece's existing gas infrastructure, operated by the Hellenic Gas Transmission System Operator (DESFA).

It said it had submitted the relevant applications to Greece in September 2011. In December, the Regulatory Authority for Energy (RAE) in Greece included TAP into the User Registry of the NNGS, TAP has confirmed.

"As the next step, DESFA will review TAP's request for reservation of transportation capacity in the NNGS for 10 bcm of natural gas for 25 years as submitted on 16 of September 2011," a statement for the consortium said.