Italy to resume construction of Trans Adriatic Pipeline
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Italy is resuming the construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), one of the core projects of the Southern Gas Corridor through which the countries of the European Union (EU) will receive Azerbaijani gas via Georgia and other countries.
The TAP project envisages the transportation of gas from the Shah Deniz Stage 2 gas field to the EU.
The pipeline will be connected to the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) on the Turkish-Greek border, run through Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Italy's south.
Saipem, an Italian oil and gas industry contractor, will start the construction of the subsea section of the TAP in 2018, as planned, reported Maritime Herald, a journal about shipping, offshore, logistics and business.
The first activities are related to the construction of microtunnels, through which the pipes will go to the surface of the Italian coast. Exactly these tunnels were expected to delay the project earlier in April, as the local communities in the province of Melendugno have opposed the construction of the pipeline and have asked the court to stop the activities for fear of environmental damage.
The project company for TAP explains that 231 olive trees will be moved during the construction of the microtunnels for the pipes. These tunnels have to keep the beach near the town of San Phoca. After the construction works are completed, the trees will be returned to their places again, said the company.
Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has spoken at a special ceremony marking the beginning of construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), which will bring gas from western Turkey to Greece, Albania and across the Adriatic to Italy.
Today Georgia’s Prime Minister sat down with his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras, who said the new Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) would enhance bilateral cooperation between Greece and Georgia, particularly in the energy sector.
The European Union (EU) is extremely interested in expanding energy cooperation with Caspian Sea countries, said EU Ambassador to Azerbaijan Malena Mardi at the Caspian Oil and Gas forum held in Baku yesterday.
Work has begun today on a new gas pipeline that will travel through Georgia to better connect Europe with gas from the Caspian Sea, thus reducing dependence on Russian gas.