BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 4. Gas supplies from Azerbaijan via the Trans Adriatic Pipeline rose by 15 percent (or 0.8 bcm) in 2022/23 heating season compared to the previous heating season, Trend reports via the International Energy Agency (IEA).
The IEA report shows that piped gas supplies from Norway to the rest of Europe dropped by 4 percent (or 2.5 bcm) y-o-y amid a higher level of planned maintenance and unplanned outages. Norwegian pipeline deliveries to the European Union rose by 2 percent (or 0.8 bcm), while exports to the United Kingdom fell by around 18 percent (or 3 bcm).
“Non-Norwegian domestic production fell by an estimated 5 percent (or 1.8 bcm) y-o-y during October 2022-February 2023. This was largely driven by lower gas output in the Netherlands, reflecting the continued phase-out of the Groningen field. Pipeline gas deliveries from North Africa declined by 8% (or 1.4 bcm) y-o-y, with flows to Iberia falling by 25% (or 1.3 bcm) and remaining broadly flat to Italy,” reads the report.
TAP transports natural gas from the giant Shah Deniz field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea to Europe. The 878 km long pipeline connects with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Turkish-Greek border in Kipoi, crosses Greece and Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Southern Italy.
TAP facilitates gas supplies to South Eastern European countries through existing and prospective interconnectors. TAP is connected to Interconnector Greece Bulgaria (IGB) which started its commercial operations in October 2022, providing Caspian gas to Bulgaria, enhancing security of energy supplies in one more European country. TAP’s exits in Greece and Albania, together with the landfall in Italy provide multiple opportunities for further transport of gas from Azerbaijan to the wider European markets.
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