Baku, April 14, AZERTAC

Lisa Givert, TAP Head of Communications, has said that more than 70km of the pipeline have been welded in Albania so far.

“Approximately 98 km have been cleared and graded along our route, 84 km line pipes strung, 71 km welded and approximately 50 km back-filled,” she told AZERTAC in an exclusive interview.

“This means that between Greece and Albania, TAP has now cleared and graded over 45% of its corridor (approximately 358km out of 765km),” Givert said.

TAP will transport natural gas from the giant Shah Deniz II field in Azerbaijan to Europe. The approximately 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 reaching Southern Italy. TAP will be 878 kilometres in length (Greece 550 km; Albania 215 km; Adriatic Sea 105 km; Italy 8 km). Its highest point will be 1,800 metres in Albania's mountains, while its lowest will be 820 metres beneath the sea.

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. With first gas sales to Georgia and Turkey targeted for late 2018, first deliveries to Europe will follow approximately in early 2020.

TAP's shareholding is comprised of BP (20%), Southern Gas Corridor CJSC (20%), Snam (20%), Fluxys (19%), Enagás (16%) and Axpo (5%).