TAP consortium announces start of construction to boost gas supply from Azerbaijan

The Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) consortium will soon start construction work to increase supplies.

The statement was made by TAP project Managing Director Luca Schieppati last week, Trend reports.

"At this stage, the installation of one additional compressor unit to the existing compressor station in Kipoi, Greece, and facility upgrades are required. At an early stage, construction work at Kipoi will start in the second half of 2023," he said.

Schieppati noted that no additional pipes would be needed in any infrastructure expansion scenario.

"The design of TAP and the Southern Gas Corridor makes it possible to double capacity to 20 billion cubic metres per year through additional compressor units and stations. No additional compressor stations are needed for the first phase of the expansion [1.2 bcm/y]," the TAP managing director said.

He added that if there is interest in the market, two additional compressor stations - one in Greece and one in Albania - will need to be built to fully expand and possibly double the original capacity of TAP to increase gas supply.

"TAP's current long-term capacity (about 10 bcm/y) has already been allocated to gas suppliers from the Shah Deniz field in accordance with the gas transportation agreements signed in 2013. TAP has allocated about 5 per cent of the initial capacity to short-term bookings. This is in addition to the capacity already booked," Schieppati added.

The managing director noted that TAP offers the available short-term capacity to the market, according to the ENTSOG (European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas) auction calendar and the TAP network code.

TAP, which is the European part of the Southern Gas Corridor, delivers eight billion cubic metres of gas annually to Italy and one billion cubic metres of gas each to Greece and Bulgaria.

On December 31, 2020, deliveries of Azerbaijani gas to Europe via the Southern Gas Corridor started. Through TAP, Azerbaijan exported its natural gas to the European market through pipelines for the first time ever. With direct access to the European market, which is the largest importer of natural gas in the world, Azerbaijan has diversified its export opportunities.