Baku, Azerbaijan, June 21
By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:
The consortium for construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) is carrying out completion works at all three stations, Luca Schieppati, TAP Managing Director, said in an exclusive interview with Trend.
“The piping fabrication and installation are substantially complete at Kipoi, with hydro strength testing progressing on schedule. The three compressors are installed, and final alignment is complete. Buildings and the mechanical scope are also substantially complete,” he said.
The managing director noted that in Fier, Albania, the piping fabrication and piping installation are also being completed, and the hydro strength testing is under way.
“With the three compressors installed in June 2018, final alignment has now been concluded,” said Schieppati.
Finally, the construction works on our metering station at Bilisht, Albania (near the Greek border) are almost complete, he added.
“Our teams are working towards overall construction completion scheduled for the end of 2019. The completion process is ongoing in all three stations,” noted the managing director.
He went on to add that the consortium is progressing a series of important activities – such as working to lay the pipeline offshore, completing the compressor and metering stations, the pipeline receiving terminal in Italy and several river crossings.
“However, such works are standard for a project of this scale and magnitude.
Having said that, for TAP, how we achieve our results is just as important as the results themselves. We are therefore working to complete the project safely – first and foremost – avoiding or minimising impact on the environment and on the host communities. This is something we are deeply committed to,” said Schieppati.
He said the consortium expects 100 percent of pipes to have been in the ground (backfilled) in Greece and Albania by end of 2019.
“As of the end of May, around 98 percent of pipes were already in the ground and reinstatement was more than 94 percent complete. Completed segments of the pipeline are handed over for the commissioning phase of the project,” he said.
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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