The Trans-Adriatic pipeline (TAP) may transport hydrogen in the future.
"Hydrogen is an important element in achieving a carbon-neutral future, and this is something that Trans-Adriatic pipeline (TAP) is actively monitoring," Vugar Veysalov, head of external affairs at TAP, said in an interview with Euractiv.
"We are in the process of assessing the degree to which TAP can technically accommodate transporting a blend of natural gas and hydrogen. Especially in the case of an expansion (up to 20bcm/a), it will be important to take into account potential future demand and requirements in the design of any new equipment," he added.
The co-owners of the project are SOCAR (20%), BP (20%), Snam (20%), Fluxys (19%), Enagas (16%), and Axpo (5%).
The TAP is represents one of the essential parts of the Southern Gas Corridor. TAP's current operational capacity is 10 billion cubic metres annually. The TAP will transport 10 bcm of natural gas from the giant Shah Deniz II field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea to Europe. The project cost $ 40 bln.
The TAP AG Consortium released a statement on the pipeline's completion on 13 October. The pipeline connects with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Turkish-Greek border in Kipoi, crosses Greece and Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Southern Italy. It is 878 kilometers long, of which 550 runs through northern Greece, 215 kilometers in Albania, and 105 kilometers on the Adriatic seabed, the remaining 8 kilometers in Italy. TAP is the last component of the Southern Gas Corridor, a continuation of TANAP. The TAP pipeline connects to the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline - TANAP on the Turkish-Greek border, cross Greece, Albania, and the Adriatic Sea, and then runs off the coast of southern Italy. This pipeline should transport 10 billion cubic meters of gas annually to Europe.
As for Georgia’s benefit from the Southern Gas Corridor, Georgian experts say that the pipeline will provide Georgia with economic and political dividends.
According to experts, after the TANAP launched operation, the volume of gas passed in the Georgian territory via the Southern Gas Corridor gradually increases. By 2024-2026 and afterward, the gas volume may reach 22 bln cubic meters, which will allow Georgia to receive 1.1 bln cubic meters of gas at a discount annually. It enables Georgia to enjoy the considerable fiscal effect, as the optional gas price received from the South Caucasian Pipeline is about 2.5-3 times lower than the market price of the Russian or Azerbaijani gas in Georgia.
No similar effect was available before the commissioning of the Southern Gas Corridor, including TANAP. Political and social impacts of the development of the South Caucasian Pipeline, TANAP and TAP pipelines, are far essential. If Georgia was only a gas transit country of regional importance (it carried out the Azerbaijani gas transit to Turkey, and Russian gas transit – to Armenia), it has become an international player now.
The Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) aims at the transportation of Azerbaijan gas to Europe via Georgia and Turkey. It is the second non-Russian pipeline enabling the transportation of the natural gas to the European market and entirely fitting into the energy security policy of Brussels.
Initially, Turkey will be supplied with 2 to 6 bcm of Azerbaijan natural gas. After 2020, when the TAP officially joins the SCP and the TANAP, 16 bcm of gas will be transported through the corridor, out of which Italy will receive ten bcm.
As long-term plans have it, by 2023, European consumers will receive 23 bcm and by 2026, 31 bcm of gas via this route.
The project comprises the key components as follows: the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP).
The foundation for the Southern Gas Project was laid on 25 February of 2014, with its 51% owned by Azerbaijan represented by the Ministry of Economy and 49% by the SOCAR.
Detailed information on the TANAP, TAP, and the Southern Gas Corridor is available on Report.ge.
