US appreciates Italy’s participation in TAP project – State Department

By  Trend

The US appreciates Italy’s participation in the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project, which envisages transportation of Azerbaijani gas to Europe, the US State Department told Trend.

“The United States appreciates Italy’s support of and participation in the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, and we welcome Italy's efforts to facilitate completion of this project,” said the State Department.

Earlier Reuters reported that Italian Environment Minister Sergio Costa said Italy’s involvement in the TAP would be reviewed along with some other major projects.

TAP worth 4.5 billion euros 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).