85% of TAP pipes lowered into ground in Greece and Albania

“85% of pipes (650km+ out of 765km) are now lowered into the ground in Greece and Albania,” the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) AG company said in its Twitter account.

“Side boom tractors are used to lower the welded pipe into the trench. Generally, 1km of pipe is lowered into the trench at a time,” added the company.

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).