Gas for integrity testing has been fed into Greece’s section of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), ahead of the planned start next year of commercial flows through the line to Europe from the Shah Deniz field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, writes Kama Mustafayeva.

Construction of the pipeline section on Greek territory is now complete, with the introduction of gas taking place near the Turkish border, where TAP connects with the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (Tanap). TAP said it started to introduce natural gas into a two-kilometre section of the pipeline in Greece between the Evros river and the Kipoi compressor station.

TAP and Tanap, along with the BP-led Shah Deniz 2 development in Azerbaijan and the expanded South Caucasus Pipeline are part of the $40-billion south gas corridor project designed to open up a new gas supply route to Europe, by-passing Russia.

“This is the initial stage of the pipeline commissioning process, which aims to ensure that the infrastructure is entirely safe and ready for operations,” TAP said.

TAP managing director Luca Schieppati added: “The upcoming months will be key in ensuring the pipeline is commissioned and progressively tested to be ready for October 2020 operations and the start of commercial gas deliveries to Europe."

The €4.5 billion ($4.95 billion) TAP line crosses Northern Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea before coming ashore in Southern Italy.

Meanwhile, Tanap earlier this week inaugurated the final section of the pipeline in Turkey that stretches from the town of Eskisehir in Anatolia right up to the Greek border.

Tanap, which started pumping commercial gas to Turkey last year, said it is ready for shipments to Europe to begin.

According to agreements with the Shah Deniz consortium, some 10 billion cubic metres per annum of gas from Shah Deniz will be exported to European customers and another 6 Bcm per annum to Turkey.

Field Development

TAP takes a step closer to commercial flows with testing