| Trans Adriatic Pipeline | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | Albania Greece Italy |
| General direction | east–west |
| From | Komotini |
| Passes through | Albania Adriatic Sea |
| To | Brindisi |
| General information | |
| Type | natural gas |
| Partners | EGL Group Statoil E.ON |
| Operator | Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG |
| Technical information | |
| Length | 520 km (320 mi) |
| Maximum discharge | 20 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas per year |
| Diameter | 48 in (1,219 mm) |
Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP, Albanian: Tubacioni Trans-Adriatik) is a proposed pipeline project to transport natural gas from Greece via Albania and the Adriatic Sea to Italy and further to Western Europe.
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Trans Adriatic Pipeline project was announced in 2003 by Swiss energy company EGL Group. The feasibility study was concluded in March 2006. Two options were investigated: a northern route through Bulgaria, Republic of Macedonia and Albania, and a southern route through Greece and Albania, which finally was considered to be more feasible. In March 2007, the extended basic engineering for the pipeline was completed.[1]
On 13 February 2008, EGL Group and the Norwegian energy company Statoil signed an agreement to set up Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG, a joint venture to develop, build and operate the pipeline.[2] In June 2008, the project company filed an application with the Greek authorities to build a 200 kilometres (120 mi) section of the pipeline from Thessaloniki to the Greek-Albanian border.[3] In January 2009, the TAP project carried out a marine survey in the Adriatic Sea to verify the offshore route for the future gas pipeline.[4] A route assessment survey in Albania started in July 2009.[5] In March 2009, an intergovernmental agreement between Italy and Albania on energy cooperation mentioned TAP as a project of common interest for both countries. In January 2010, TAP opened country offices in Greece, Albania and Italy.[6] In March 2010, TAP submitted an application to Italian authorities for inclusion into the Italian gas network.[7]
On 20 May 2010, it was announced that E.ON Ruhrgas becomes a partner in the project.[8] The deal was successfully closed on 7 July 2010.[9]
In March 2010, TAP submitted an application to Italian authorities for inclusion into the Italian gas network.[7] In November 2010, TAP started route refinement survey in northern Greece in preparation for the environmental impact assessment.[10] On 7 September 2011, the Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG (TAP AG) submitted its EU Third Party Access Exemption applications in all three host countries. Exemption will allow TAP AG to enter into long term ship-or-pay gas transportation agreements with the shippers of Shah Deniz II gas.[11][12]
TAP is considered to be the shortest route in the Southern Gas Corridor, linking Europe to new sources of gas in the Caspian and Middle East regions.[13] The pipeline will start in Greece near Komotini, cross Albania and the Adriatic Sea and come ashore in Italy near Brindisi. The length of Greece section will be 465 kilometres (289 mi).[12] The length of the offshore pipeline section will be 115 kilometres (71 mi) at a maximum depth of 820 metres (2,690 ft).[2]
The initial capacity of the pipeline will be about 10 billion cubic metres (350 billion cubic feet) of natural gas per year, with the option to expand the capacity up to 20 billion cubic metres (710 billion cubic feet).[2] The total length of the pipeline is 520 kilometres (320 mi) and the length of the offshore section is 115 kilometres (71 mi). TAP also plans to develop an underground natural gas storage facility in Albania and offer a reverse flow possibility of up to 8.5 billion cubic metres (300 billion cubic feet). These features will ensure additional energy security for the Southeastern Europe.[14][15] Total construction costs are expected to be about €1.5 billion.[2] TAP is ready to commence pipeline operations in time for first gas exports from Shah Deniz II (expected in 2017–2018).[11][16]
The pipeline would be supplied by natural gas from the Caspian region and the Middle East through the existing and planned gas transportation networks in Turkey.[1] The source of supply for initial capacity of 10 billion cubic metres (350 billion cubic feet) per year will come from the second stage of development of the Shah Deniz natural gas field in Azerbaijan.[17] Shah Deniz consortium plans to start bilateral negotiations with potential buyers of gas and not a tender process. Three pipeline projects have been prequalified for the negotiations.[18] Statoil, which owns a 25.5% stake in the consortium developing Shah Deniz, sees the Trans Adriatic Pipeline as a possibility to transport natural gas from Shah Deniz.[2]
Turkey and Azerbaijan's natural-gas trade agreement, signed on 7 June 2010, is believed to give a boost to the further development of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline as well as to all other projects in the Southern Gas Corridor.[19] The deal sets the terms for the transit of Azerbaijani gas to European countries.[20]
Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG is a joint venture company registered in Baar, canton Zug, Switzerland, with a purpose of planning, developing and building the TAP pipeline. [21] Managing Director of the project is Kjetil Tungland.[22]
Shareholders of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline are:
The project competes with the Greece-Italy pipeline project, developed by DEPA and Edison S.p.A., with Nabucco pipeline project, and with South Stream project announced by Eni and Gazprom. The consortium has announced that they "are open towards ITGI to discuss mutual ways of improving the respective projects."[23]
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