52 km of TAP welded in Albania

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52 km of the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), to transport Azerbaijani gas to Europe, has been welded in Albania during five months after marking the start of construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP).

Report informs citing TAP, Ulrike Andres, Commercial and External Affairs Director of TAP said during visit of several ambassadors and diplomatic representatives in Albania to the TAP project works currently underway in Ura Vajgurore area, Berat region.

“TAP is a highly strategic project for the European gas market. Once natural gas from the Shah Deniz II field starts flowing through TAP in 2020, several markets will benefit from increased gas supply security and diversification”, she said.

“We are thankful to the Albanian authorities for their strong collaboration, which enabled TAP’s good progress. So far in Albania we have cleared and graded more than 72 km, strung over 62 km of line pipes, welded another 52 km and backfilled approximately 40 km”.

“The ambassadors were pleased to learn more about TAP’s benefits to Albania. To date, more than 1’700 employees, approximately 84% Albanians, have been directly employed in TAP’s construction processes”, she added.

Notably, TAP, which is a part of Southern Gas Corridor project, will transport the gas produced within ‘Shah Deniz 2’ project, to Europe. This pipeline will join TANAP (Trans Anatolian) pipeline in Kipoi territory on Turkey-Greece border and cross Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea before going onshore in southern Italy.

After reviewing various selection options during two years, on June 28, 2013, ‘Shah Deniz’ Consortium has officially declared selection of the project on TAP project. The pipeline is 878 kilometers long, which 550 km will cover Greece, 215 Albania, 105 Adriatic Sea and 8 km Southern Italy. Highest point of the pipeline will be in the mountains of Albania (1 800 meters), the lower part (-820 meters) beneath the sea.

In the first stage, 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas will be delivered to Europe via the pipeline. TAP’s groundbreaking ceremony was held in Thessaloniki, Greece on May 17, 2016. Azerbaijani gas will be delivered to Europe on 2020.

BP (20%), SOCAR (20%), ‘Snam S.p.A.’ (20%), ‘Fluxys’ (19%), ‘Enagas’ (16%) and ‘Axpo’ (5%) companies acting as TAP shareholders.