TAP reveals details of discussions in Italy's Apulia

Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct.5 By Leman Zeynalova – Trend: The talks in Italy’s Apulia region to not refer to any changes to the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project, TAP Head of Communications Lisa Givert told Trend. "TAP (together with Italy’s SNAM, who is in charge of building the 55km interconnection pipeline between TAP and the Italian grid) is participating in the roundtable which has been called by the National Government to discuss social and environmental investments (SEI) in Apulia. The talks do not refer to any changes to the project (landfall, route, Pipeline Receiving Terminal design, etc.) but are to discuss projects relating to social and environmental investments alone," she said. Additionally, TAP, its engineering contractor and EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contractors are assessing the use of different technologies (trenchless pipeline laying, reducing the Right of Way width, etc.), that could reduce the already minimal impact of TAP’s construction, added Givert. TAP is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor which is one of the priority energy projects for the EU. TAP project envisages transportation of gas from the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz gas and condensate field to the EU countries. The pipeline will be connected to the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) on the Turkish-Greek border, run through Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Italy's south. TAP’s shareholders are: BP (20 percent), State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (20 percent), Snam (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagas (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent). TAP will be 878 kilometers in length (Greece 550 km, Albania 215 km, Adriatic Sea 105 km, and Italy 8 km). Its highest point will be 1,800 meters in Albania’s mountains, while its lowest point will be 820 meters beneath the sea. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn