TAP to double its capacity from its start
Shareholders in the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project for the transport of natural gas are working toward doubling its capacity in the aftermath of Russia ditching plans for the South Stream pipeline.
British Petroleum, which heads the consortium that controls the Shah Deniz natural gas field in Azerbaijan and owns a 20 percent stake in TAP, has reportedly informed the European Commission and the Greek government of its intention to raise TAP’s capacity from 10 billion cubic meters per year to 20 billion c.m/year from the start of its operation in 2020.
The increase in TAP’s capacity had been planned for the second stage of the Shah Deniz field’s development, but conditions have changed with the abandonment of the South Stream project, which would have carried 63 billion c.m./year to Central and Western Europe.
