Regarding the connection to TAP, a request was sent to TAP AG Greece, but no final response has been received so far, he added.
"TAP is developing a gas transportation infrastructure and will offer transportation services to gas shippers. TAP does not own or sell the gas it transports," said Givert. "The gas sales agreements for the gas that will be transported with TAP’s initial capacity set up (10bcm/a) are entered into directly between the Shah Deniz Consortium and gas buyers in Europe."
She pointed out that TAP will conduct market tests every two years (the first latest by the start of commercial operations), to offer the expansion capacity (up to TAP’s total capacity of 20 bcm/a).
"These market tests will be performed in accordance with the guidelines approved by the National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) of Greece, Albania and Italy," said Givert. "All interested parties can bid for available capacity in accordance with the rules set out in these guidelines."
Givert noted that TAP will expand its capacity to accommodate validly submitted bids, if the market test results in both a technically feasible and economically viable outcome (in accordance with the TAP tariff methodology approved by the NRAs).
TAP is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor, which is one of the priority energy projects for the European Union. The project envisages transportation of gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz Stage 2 to the EU countries.
The pipeline will connect 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.
TAP will be 878 kilometers in length (Greece 550 kilometers, Albania 215 kilometers, Adriatic Sea 105 kilometers, and Italy 8 kilometers).
TAP’s shareholding is comprised of BP (20 percent), SOCAR (20 percent), Snam S.p.A. (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagás (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent).
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