Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan.28
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
The Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) and Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB), which envisage transportation of Azerbaijani gas to Europe, have been named among important international energy projects of Greece, Trend reports citing Greek Integrated Energy and Climate Plan for the Period from 2021 to 2030.
The document recalls that the 878-kilometers long TAP pipeline has been under construction since 2016. “The initial capacity of TAP is 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year with possibility of reaching 20 billion cubic meters by adding two more compressor stations.”
The plan includes the following important international energy projects: TAP, IGB, Turkey-Greece-Italy (ITGI) pipeline, East Med and others.
IGB is a gas pipeline, which will allow Bulgaria to receive Azerbaijani gas, in particular, the gas produced from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz 2 gas and condensate field. IGB is expected to be connected to TAP via which gas from the Shah Deniz field will be delivered to the European markets.
The initial capacity of IGB will be 3 billion cubic meters of gas.
TAP project, worth 4.5 billion euros, is one of the priority energy projects for the European Union (EU). The project envisages transportation of gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz Stage 2 to the EU countries.
Connecting with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Greek-Turkish border, TAP will cross Northern Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea before coming ashore in Southern Italy to connect to the Italian natural gas network.
The project is currently in its construction phase, which started in 2016.
Once built, TAP will offer a direct and cost-effective transportation route opening up the vital Southern Gas Corridor, a 3,500-kilometer long gas value chain stretching from the Caspian Sea to Europe.
TAP shareholders include 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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