TAP marks one year since construction started

TAP will transport natural gas from the 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 at Kipoi, cross Greece and Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in southern Italy.

One of Europe’s largest and most strategic energy (natural gas) infrastructure projects, much has been achieved on the TAP project over the past twelve months. As of early May 2017:

• The project has a world class site safety record with lost time frequency levels well below international norms.
• TAP’s contractors cleared approximately 49% of the project route in Greece and Albania (371 km out of 765 km). 22.6% of welded steel pipes are already in the ground (backfilled).
• In Italy, work is ongoing with the first batch of olive trees temporarily stored, so that construction of the 1.5 km microtunnel can start later in the year.
• 68.5% of the total 55 000 pipes to be used for the construction of the pipeline have been received in Greece, Albania and Italy.
• More than 5200 people have been working for the project across TAP’s host countries, over 85% of which have been employed locally.
• A range of social and environmental investment (SEI) programmes have been implemented in the communities along its route. 70 additional projects, totalling approximately €15 million, are due to be rolled out in upcoming months. In total, TAP will invest over €55 million in SEI in Greece, Albania and Italy.

TAP Managing Director, Ian Bradshaw, said: “We are pleased with our performance. In terms of overall project progress, we are approximately 41% complete, including all engineering, procurement and construction scope. We are on track to deliver first gas from Shah Deniz II in 2020, becoming an active part of the European energy network, enabling more competitive and secure energy to reach homes and businesses.”

“I am particularly pleased that today, approximately 173 km of welded steel pipes – around 21 times our project length in Italy – have been put in the ground in Greece and Albania. TAP remains fully committed to reinstate land to its original condition or better. A project of this scale and magnitude will face daily challenges, however, we are well positioned to address and manage them by working closely with our teams, our supply network and alongside communities.” Bradshaw added.

By this time next year, TAP AG plans to have completed the clearing and grading of the route across Greece and Albania, and have approximately 67% of welded pipes placed in the ground (backfilled).

Image courtesy of TAP AG

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/project-news/16052017/tap-marks-one-year-since-construction-started/