Azerbaijani minister, managing director of TAP AG mull project’s expansion

Azerbaijani Minister of Energy Parviz Shahbazov has met with Luca Schieppati, managing director of TAP AG - Trans-Adriatic gas pipeline operator, Report informs referring to the Azerbaijani Energy Ministry.

The participants in the meeting praised the timely completion of the work on the TAP project, noting that the commencement of the pipeline’s commercial operation was an essential step in the commissioning of the Southern Gas Corridor.

The sides stressed that TAP, as another energy link connecting Azerbaijan with Europe for a long time, will strengthen the country’s strategic role in energy security, cooperation, and sustainable development. They also underlined that project is of strategic and economic importance for Europe, provides reliable access to a new source of natural gas, plays an essential role in energy security, diversification of supplies, as well as in reducing carbon emissions.

The sides exchanged views on the expansion of the TAP project - the increase of the pipeline’s total capacity to 20 bcm, market tests that would allow expressing the interests of natural gas suppliers, the fight against climate change, the ‘Green Agreement’ on environmental protection and the restoration of energy markets.

The supply of Azerbaijan’s commercial gas to Europe through the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline started on December 31 last year.