BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 12. The Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) sees itself as an important contributor to the objectives of the European Green Deal and the Paris Agreement by potentially supplying the EU with carbon neutral energy sources, such as hydrogen and bio-methane, Luca Schieppati, TAP managing director, said in an exclusive interview with Trend.
"TAP’s ambition is to develop the asset to allow transportation of hydrogen, and we are now in the process of assessing the degree to which TAP can technically accommodate transporting a blend of natural gas and hydrogen. We have defined the roadmap to prepare ourselves in the medium to long term to accommodate natural gas blends with hydrogen and other renewable gases," he said.
Schieppati recalled that in 2021, an initial study on hydrogen readiness verified TAP’s potential to transport hydrogen blend in the future.
"We are currently conducting tests on pipeline materials in an international laboratory. Results for offshore pipeline materials will be received in Q4 2024. After this, TAP will assess the results and the need of further testing requirements for 2025. Additionally, TAP has started a Gap Analysis for Above Ground Installations in 2024 which will continue in 2025. TAP is also participating in the Joint Industry Project H2Pipe for the development of the world’s first guidelines for the transport of hydrogen in existing and new offshore pipelines," the managing director added.
The Trans Adriatic Pipeline operates a natural gas transportation infrastructure from the Greek border with Türkiye to Southern Italy, enabling interested parties to market gas to several European countries.
TAP provides a direct and cost-effective transportation route as part of the Southern Gas Corridor, a 3,500 kilometre gas value chain stretching from the Caspian Sea to Europe.
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