Baku, September 21 AZERTAC

Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG (TAP) invites companies to pre-qualify for the supply and delivery of the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system and fibre optic cable. According to the official website of the project, these are the final large package contracts to be awarded by TAP for project construction as company provided items.

The scope of work is intended to cover: Engineering, procurement and installation of SCADA, telecommunications and security systems. The SCADA system will provide integrated and centralised continuous monitoring and control along the entire 878-kilometre gas transportation system with all data being transmitted back to the supervisory control centre in the Pipeline Receiving Terminal (PRT) in southern Italy, overseeing the pipeline's safe and sustainable operations.

Manufacturing and delivery of approximatively 1,550 kilometres of fibre optic cable which will facilitate bi-directional communication feed from the pipeline and associated assets, such as compressor stations and block valve stations, to the supervisory control centre.

Norman Ingram, Project Director at TAP said: "With the launch of these final pre-qualification notices, TAP reaches another important milestone in its procurement process. Together, the SCADA and fibre optic cable facilitate the control system which enables pipeline operations to be safely and effectively monitored and controlled. TAP's selection process remains transparent, rigorous and with a particular emphasis on meeting health, safety, security, environmental and social standards."

The deadline for companies to request the pre-qualification questionnaire is 30.09.2015. Following the pre-qualification stage, TAP aims to issue the related Invitations to Tender (ITT) by the end of 2015. The contracts are expected to be awarded mid-2016.

TAP will transport natural gas from the giant Shah Deniz II field in Azerbaijan to Europe. The 878 km long pipeline will connect with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Turkish-Greek border at Kipoi, cross Greece and Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Southern Italy.

TAP's routing can facilitate gas supply to several South Eastern European countries, including Bulgaria, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and others. TAP's landfall in Italy provides multiple opportunities for further transport of Caspian natural gas to some of the largest European markets such as Germany, France, the UK, Switzerland and Austria.

TAP will promote the economic development and job creation along the pipeline route; it will be a major source of foreign direct investment and it is not dependent on grants or subsidies.