Brussels, 23 Aug 2018 | 11:28 UTC
Author: Siobhan Hall; Editor: Alisdair Bowles
TAP is the last leg of the so-called Southern Gas Corridor that is to enable Europe to import gas initially from the 16 Bcm/year Shah Deniz 2 field, a new supply source.
The EU views the Southern Gas Corridor, which links the expanded South Caucasus Pipeline from Azerbaijan via Georgia to the 31 Bcm/year TANAP pipeline in Turkey, and TAP, as a key element in its efforts to bring new supply sources to southeast Europe, where Russia is the dominant supplier.
The TAP section runs from Greece via Albania to Italy, and is planned online in 2020, when the first Shah Deniz 2 deliveries to the EU are expected.
The Shah Deniz 2 producers have booked the capacity under 25-year ship-or-pay contracts from when the pipeline starts operating, Givert said, without giving specific company breakdowns.
The producers are the UK's BP (28.8%), Azerbaijan's Socar (16.7%), Malaysia's Petronas (15.5%), Russia's Lukoil (10%), Iran's NICO (10%) and Turkey's TPAO (19%).
TAP's shareholders are BP (20%), Socar (20%), Italian gas transmission system operator Snam (20%), Belgian gas TSO Fluxys (19%), Spanish gas TSO Enagas (16%) and Swiss energy company Axpo (5%).
The Shah Deniz 2 producers started commercial gas deliveries to Turkey in July.
TAP could enable new gas supplies to reach several southeast European countries, including Albania, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Croatia, as well as Italy and beyond.
CAPACITY AUCTIONS
TAP plans to offer short-term primary capacity separately at future public auctions, Givert said.
It has not yet decided on the capacity booking platform.
"Secondary capacity [will also be] available to any interested third party in line with the terms and conditions of the network code and the corresponding gas transportation contracts," she said.
TAP is consulting until September 18 on the draft network code for accessing, using and operating the planned pipeline.
This is required by an agreement with the European Commission that exempts TAP from the third-party access, tariff regulation and ownership unbundling rules normally required of pipelines under the EU's third energy package legislation.
RUSSIAN INTEREST
Any interested parties can also take part in TAP's open seasons for assessing demand for extra capacity, as long as they comply with all the requirements, she said.
TAP could double its capacity 20 Bcm/year by adding two compressor stations, if there is demand. It will also be able flow gas in both directions, allowing gas from Italy to go to southeast Europe if needed.
Russia's Gazprom has said it could consider using TAP to transport gas from the second line of its planned 31.5 Bcm/year Turkstream pipeline to Turkey onward to Europe.
Turkstream is planned to come online in 2019, with flows through the first 15.75 Bcm/year line intended for the Turkish market.
The European spur options include potentially two separate 8 Bcm/year links: one via Greece to Italy using a new pipeline -- ITGI Poseidon -- or TAP, and the other via Bulgaria and Serbia to Hungary.
TAP is already more than 76% completed, according to its website, with much of the pipeline in Greece already laid and the Italian offshore section set to begin construction in 2019.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella said Italy was committed to completing the project during a state visit to Baku in July.
SOURCE
Author: Siobhan Hall; Editor: Alisdair Bowles
- 10 Bcm/year Greece
- -Italy TAP gas link to open in 2020
- Shah Deniz 2 sellers have 25-year capacity contracts
- TAP to offer short-term capacity in future auctions
TAP is the last leg of the so-called Southern Gas Corridor that is to enable Europe to import gas initially from the 16 Bcm/year Shah Deniz 2 field, a new supply source.
The EU views the Southern Gas Corridor, which links the expanded South Caucasus Pipeline from Azerbaijan via Georgia to the 31 Bcm/year TANAP pipeline in Turkey, and TAP, as a key element in its efforts to bring new supply sources to southeast Europe, where Russia is the dominant supplier.
The TAP section runs from Greece via Albania to Italy, and is planned online in 2020, when the first Shah Deniz 2 deliveries to the EU are expected.
The Shah Deniz 2 producers have booked the capacity under 25-year ship-or-pay contracts from when the pipeline starts operating, Givert said, without giving specific company breakdowns.
The producers are the UK's BP (28.8%), Azerbaijan's Socar (16.7%), Malaysia's Petronas (15.5%), Russia's Lukoil (10%), Iran's NICO (10%) and Turkey's TPAO (19%).
TAP's shareholders are BP (20%), Socar (20%), Italian gas transmission system operator Snam (20%), Belgian gas TSO Fluxys (19%), Spanish gas TSO Enagas (16%) and Swiss energy company Axpo (5%).
The Shah Deniz 2 producers started commercial gas deliveries to Turkey in July.
TAP could enable new gas supplies to reach several southeast European countries, including Albania, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Croatia, as well as Italy and beyond.
CAPACITY AUCTIONS
TAP plans to offer short-term primary capacity separately at future public auctions, Givert said.
It has not yet decided on the capacity booking platform.
"Secondary capacity [will also be] available to any interested third party in line with the terms and conditions of the network code and the corresponding gas transportation contracts," she said.
TAP is consulting until September 18 on the draft network code for accessing, using and operating the planned pipeline.
This is required by an agreement with the European Commission that exempts TAP from the third-party access, tariff regulation and ownership unbundling rules normally required of pipelines under the EU's third energy package legislation.
RUSSIAN INTEREST
Any interested parties can also take part in TAP's open seasons for assessing demand for extra capacity, as long as they comply with all the requirements, she said.
TAP could double its capacity 20 Bcm/year by adding two compressor stations, if there is demand. It will also be able flow gas in both directions, allowing gas from Italy to go to southeast Europe if needed.
Russia's Gazprom has said it could consider using TAP to transport gas from the second line of its planned 31.5 Bcm/year Turkstream pipeline to Turkey onward to Europe.
Turkstream is planned to come online in 2019, with flows through the first 15.75 Bcm/year line intended for the Turkish market.
The European spur options include potentially two separate 8 Bcm/year links: one via Greece to Italy using a new pipeline -- ITGI Poseidon -- or TAP, and the other via Bulgaria and Serbia to Hungary.
TAP is already more than 76% completed, according to its website, with much of the pipeline in Greece already laid and the Italian offshore section set to begin construction in 2019.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella said Italy was committed to completing the project during a state visit to Baku in July.
SOURCE
