Trans Adriatic Pipeline tenders EPC contract
Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG (TAP) has issued the first major invitation to tender (ITT) for the construction of the onshore section of the pipeline.
The scope for the onshore pipeline contract(s) includes the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of approximately 760 km of the cross-country onshore pipeline (48 inches (1.2m) in diameter) in Greece and Albania.
Construction of the TAP is planned to begin in 2016 and, currently, will be split into five lots (or sections), three lots in Greece and two lots in Albania. TAP’s highest elevation will be 1800 meters in Albania and the pipeline will, on its route, cross many roads and rivers.
TAP plans to award the contract for the onshore pipeline contract in the third quarter of 2015. The next ITT that will be issued by TAP are the EPC for compressor stations in Greece and Albania, which is set to be launched in the fourth quarter of 2014.
Knut Steinar Kvindesland, Procurement Director at TAP said:
The contract for the construction of the onshore section of the TAP pipeline is the largest that TAP is planning to award. The selection of the bidders who have been invited to tender has followed a rigorous prequalification process.
The whole project involves the construction of an 871 km long pipeline linking Turkey and Italy and running through Greece and Albania, including the associated compressor stations. The pipeline will run for 547 km through Greece, 211 km through Albania, 8 km through Italy and 105 km offshore under the Adriatic Sea, with an initial capacity of 10 bcma (billion cubic metres per annum).
Two weeks ago Enagás and Fluxys signed an agreement to acquire 19% of Total and E.ON‘s stake in TAP project, in which Enagás will hold a 16% stake.
TAP’s shareholding is now comprised of BP (20%), Socar (20%), Statoil (20%), Fluxys (19%), Enagás (16%) and Axpo (5%).
First deliveries of gas to TAP in Europe are scheduled for approximately 2019.
