-1525430851.jpg "TAP completes the 1.5 km micro-tunnel in Albania")
The micro-tunnel was built in approximately six months after works started in February 2018.
The 1.5 kilometers micro-tunnel crosses a challenging mountainous segment and connects the eastern and the western TAP pipeline segments.
TAP’s contractor Spiecapag and TAP subcontractor Bessac were able to complete the micro-tunnel construction within schedule and to a high-level of accuracy.
The 1.8 metre diameter micro-tunnel avoids the pipeline crossing the Osumi valley and a newly built road, minimizing impact on local communities.
The Corovoda micro-tunnel was constructed in two phases: the eastern segment measures 560 meters and was completed at the end of April 2018, and the western segment, with a length of 600 meters.
TAP project, worth 4.5 billion euros, is one of the priority energy projects for the European Union (EU), and has already attracted 1.5 billion euros from the European Investment Bank (EIB), which approved the loan in early February 2018.
Connecting with the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) at the Greek-Turkish border, TAP will cross Northern Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea before coming ashore in Southern Italy to connect to the Italian natural gas network.
The project is currently in its construction phase, which started in 2016.
Once built, TAP will offer a direct and cost-effective transportation route opening up the vital Southern Gas Corridor, a 3,500-kilometer long gas value chain stretching from the Caspian Sea to Europe.
TAP shareholders include BP (20 percent), SOCAR (20 percent), Snam S.p.A. (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagas (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent).
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