TAP transports first 1 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Europe

Following the commencement of gas flows via TAP in December 2020, the Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG announces that a total of 1 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas from Azerbaijan has now entered Europe via the Greek interconnection point of Kipoi, where TAP connects to the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP), Report informs, citing TAP AG consortium.

As the European section of the Southern Gas Corridor, TAP has the capacity to transport approximately 10 billion cubic meters of gas per annum (bcm/a) to several markets in Europe. The pipeline is also designed with the potential to expand its throughput capacity up to 20 bcm/a.

Luca Schieppati, TAP Managing Director, commented: “With 1 bcm of gas now safely transported, our infrastructure continues to enable diversification across multiple markets. The gas volumes delivered by TAP play a key role in providing the EU with a new source of secure, reliable, and affordable energy, while facilitating its energy transition roadmap.”

As the last segment of the Southern Gas Corridor, TAP, which provides Europe with reliable access to a new natural gas source and is of strategic importance, plays a vital role in strengthening Europe's energy security, diversifying supplies serving decarbonization purposes.

TAP transports natural gas to Europe from the giant Shah Deniz field in the Caspian Sea's Azerbaijani sector. The 878 km pipeline connects to the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline on the Turkish-Greek border in Kipoi, crosses Greece, Albania, and the Adriatic Sea, and reaches Italy's southern coast.

On the first day of the project, which started the flow of natural gas to Europe on December 31, 2020, TAP pumped 10.9 million cubic meters of natural gas to Europe.

TAP can stimulate gas supplies to Southeast European countries through interconnectors to be built in the future. For example, Bulgaria will strengthen supply security by meeting 33% of its natural gas needs via TAP. In turn, it will increase the penetration of natural gas in the country. TAP's outlets in Greece and Albania and Italy also open up opportunities for transporting Azerbaijani gas to other European countries.

TAP's shareholders are SOCAR (20%), bp (20%), Snam (20%), Fluxys (19%), Enagás (16%) and Axpo (5%).