Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov.22
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
The Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project, which envisages transportation of Azerbaijani gas to Europe, is a game-changer from a new source of product into mainland Europe perspective, S&P Global Platts quoted Joseph Murphy, BP's vice president for the Southern Gas Corridor, as saying.
He pointed out that there is also scope to expand the corridor in the future through extra compression.
“There is plenty of exploration, plenty of projects and plenty of agreements being signed in Azerbaijan's part of the Caspian which suggest more Azeri gas will go through it," said Murphy.
BP vice president added that 2020 remains the target for first gas through TAP to Italy.
TAP worth 4.5 billion euros is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor, which is one of the priority energy projects for the European Union. The project envisages transportation of gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz Stage 2 to the EU countries.
The pipeline will connect to the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) on the Turkish-Greek border, run through Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Italy’s south.
TAP will be 878 kilometers in length (Greece 550 kilometers, Albania 215 kilometers, Adriatic Sea 105 kilometers, and Italy 8 kilometers).
TAP’s shareholding is comprised of BP (20 percent), SOCAR (20 percent), Snam S.p.A. (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagás (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent).
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