e premte, 2 korrik 2010

Trans Adriatic Pipeline route refined





Trans Adriatic Pipeline route refined

Thu, 24 June 2010

Albanian Ministers and government officials have approved the revised route of the 520 km Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) through Albania.

In June 2009, local and international engineers began refining the pipeline route to avoid impacting the Hotova National Park and other environmentally significant areas and cultural heritage sites.

Six different route options were considered, but the final route was selected as it has minimal impact on forests and avoids all cultural heritage sites. It will also be shorter and easier to construct than the route identified during the basic engineering phase.

Having received government approval, TAP will now meet with 400 local stakeholders and 60 non-government organisations in regional workshops, and begin working on the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment.

The TAP Gas Pipeline will originate near Thessaloniki, Greece, and cross Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before ending near Brindisi, Italy. The pipeline will have an initial capacity of 10 Bcm/a, and is intended to enhance the security of European gas supply.

The project is currently in the front end engineering and design stage. Once this is completed, TAP will invite tenders for pipeline construction.

Image caption: The proposed TAP Pipeline route.