BAKU, Azerbaijan, Oct.6
By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:
Pipe laying work is complete on the Italian section of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) separating the microtunnel area from the Reception Terminal.
The pipes have been laid and backfilled, the trenches have been covered and the topsoil is resuming its vegetative activity.
The olive trees removed from the area along the TAP route, which are currently in excellent health, will be replanted in autumn 2020.
German Albanian Logistics Agency (GALA) completed a contract with TAP consortium.
GALA has been part of TAP program since 2015 as shipping agent and full logistics supplier. Now, five years later, the 105-kilometer-long pipeline connects Albania and Italy as part of the Southern Gas Corridor. This is the most extensive project in the logistics company’s history. In the past five years, Durres-based GALA provided agency and logistics services for more than two thirds of the vessels involved in building the pipeline. In numbers, this amounts to 36 ships, 87 port calls and 849 crew changes – including accommodation for seafarers. The agency also managed a significant number of oversize transports with trucks and vessels – within Albania and beyond its borders.
Management Code of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline was approved in accordance with the joint decision of the Regulatory Authorities of Greece, Italy and Albania.
The draft Code was put up for public consultation from August 7 to September 18, 2018, which was extended until September 30, 2018. Comments were received from nine participants, six companies participating in the gas market, two industry associations, and the Energy Community Secretariat.
The offshore bio-constructions temporarily moved in October 2019 as part of construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline are now back to their original location, on top of the pipeline.
The last weld in the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) was completed.
This means that 878 kilometers are now joined, from the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) through to the Pipeline Receiving Terminal in Italy.
The Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG consortium issued the invitation to tender for ‘Supply of Gas for Operational Purposes’ to qualifying bidders on July 13, 2020.
TAP AG launched an Invitation to Tender (ITT) for the purchase of gas required for operational activities, including the fuelling of the compressor stations. This tender is being conducted in preparation for the start of the commercial operations phase, scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2020.
TAP will evaluate the proposals received and award contracts to the winning bidders in time for the start of TAP commercial operations.
The Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG consortium has issued its Network Code, as approved by the national energy regulatory authorities of Greece, Albania and Italy.
The TAP Network Code has been finalized following the public consultation launched in August 2018, and sets out rules that govern TAP’s services to customers, including shipper registration, credit support, capacity products offered, capacity booking, balancing, usage costs, etc.
TAP will be offering capacity in line with the TAP Network Code through the PRISMA capacity booking platform.
At the Kipoi compressor station of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline in Greece construction works, the introduction of gas and all required testing are complete. At the Fier compressor station in Albania, construction works and the introduction of gas are also complete.
In preparation for the start of commercial operation and as part of the testing and commissioning phase, the Trans Adriatic Pipeline has been filled with natural gas from the Greek-Turkish border up to the compressor station in Fier, Albania.
The testing and commissioning of the offshore and Italian sections will take place in line with the project schedule to start to become operational and be ready to transport first Shah Deniz II gas in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Connection to the national natural gas transmission system (NNGTS) of the Metering/Regulating Station (U6910) at the Interconnection Point between the DESFA and TAP networks at Nea Messimvria will take six working days from October 13 through October 20 and three working days from October 27 through October 30. TAP and DESFA have an Interconnection Agreement for the Interconnection Point Nea Mesimvria.
TAP is moving closer to completing the project construction phase. In preparation for the start of commercial operation and as part of the testing and commissioning phase, the TAP pipeline has been filled with natural gas from the Greek-Turkish border up to the compressor station in Fier, Albania. At the end of August 2020, the TAP project was 97.9 percent completed.
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