Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 17 /Trend A.Badalova/
Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project is fully in line with the schedule of Azerbaijani Shah Deniz gas condensate field development, TAP's official told Trend on Tuesday.
"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," Lisa Givert, Head of Communications at TAP Project told Trend via e-mail.
TAP is one of the pipelines projects within the Southern Gas Corridor, which is designed to transport Azerbaijani gas to the European countries.
TAP will transport gas from the Caspian region via Greece and Albania and across the Adriatic Sea to southern Italy and further into western Europe. The initial pipeline capacity will be 10 billion cubic meters per year. TAP's shareholders are EGL of Switzerland (42.5 percent), Norway's Statoil (42.5 percent) and E.ON Ruhrgas of Germany (15 percent).
Gas, which will be produced during the second stage of Shah Deniz field development is considered as the main source for the project.
On Oct. 1, TAP along with the other pipeline projects (Nabucco, ITGI) submitted their final proposals to the Azerbaijani side, which review them in accordance with previously announced criteria.
Givert said that the realization of TAP remains on schedule.
"It 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," she said.
TAP's technical concept relies on using existing Greek infrastructure from Kipoi until Komotini (about 90 km in length), which is operated by the Hellenic Gas Transmission System Operator (DESFA). From Komotini westwards, TAP is developing and intending to construct an Independent Natural Gas System.
In December, 2011 the Regulatory Authority for Energy (RAE) in Greece included TAP into the User Registry of the National Natural Gas System (NNGS).
In September, 2011 TAP also submitted the request for reservation of transportation capacity in NNGS for 10 bcm of gas for 25 years.
The request is currently under review and TAP expects a decision in due course, Givert said.
TAP expects to receive all relevant permits in Greece and in other transit countries well in advance of the pipeline construction to be ready for the first gas from Shah Deniz field in Azerbaijan in 2017/18.