The Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) is now more than 50 percent completed, nearly 16 months after construction began, TAP AG, the company responsible to build the pipeline, said on Monday.
'TAP’s contractors have cleared approx. 70 percent of the project route in Greece and Albania (539km out of 765km). Also, over 45 percent of welded steel pipes are already in the ground (backfilled),' according to the statement.
Approximately 95 percent of the total 55,000 pipes to be used for the construction of the pipeline have been received in Greece, Albania and Italy.
'The company has driven approximately 43 million kilometres without a major incident,' company said.
It is also underlined that the last shipment of offshore line pipes has been offloaded in Brindisi, Italy, between 3 and 6 September 2017.
In total, TAP will invest over €55 million in social and environmental investments in Greece, Albania and Italy.
TAP Managing Director Luca Schieppati said in the statement that they are are pleased that TAP continues to progress on time and on budget.
'We therefore remain on track to deliver the first Shah Deniz II gas in 2020, bringing a much-needed new source of energy into the European energy network,' he said.
TAP will transport natural gas from the giant Shah Deniz II field in Azerbaijan to Europe. The approximately 878 km long pipeline will connect with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Turkish-Greek border and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Southern Italy.
TAP’s shareholding is comprised of BP (20%), SOCAR (20%), Snam (20%), Fluxys (19%), Enagás (16%) and Axpo (5%).
By Gulsen Cagatay
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr