The big picture

The natural gas resources in the Caspian region present an enormous opportunity for Europe to meet its energy challenges. Natural gas is expected to play an increasingly important role in the European energy mix for decades to come. It offers an accessible, affordable and low carbon option compared to traditional fossil fuels, such as coal and oil. The reliability and flexibility of natural gas make it the ideal partner to renewable energy sources.

As a key part of the Southern Gas Corridor, TAP provides a much-needed new source of natural gas for Europe. The pipeline helps meet the needs of businesses and consumers by giving them both choice and security of supply. 

TAP also helps to promote the development of gas sectors in its host countries. 

The EU aims to be climate-neutral by 2050. TAP is focused on making sure the transition happens in a sustainable manner, particularly in South-East Europe and the Western Balkans, where the energy sector is overly reliant on heavy fossil fuels. TAP can eventually be an important contributor to the objectives of the European Green Deal and the Paris Agreement by supplying the EU with carbon neutral energy sources, such as hydrogen. 

Hydrogen Readiness

Retrofitting the existing infrastructure for transporting hydrogen and other low carbon gases is an important element in achieving a carbon neutral future and this is one of the opportunities we are currently pursuing.

• Our recent Hydrogen Readiness study confirmed that TAP has the potential to transport hydrogen blends in the future. We are in the process of testing our materials in an internationally recognised laboratory to fully assess the suitability of the asset to meet the forthcoming hydrogen requirements and opportunities.
• Similarly, studies by major equipment manufacturers, both for new and existing equipment retrofits, such as our gas turbine driven compressors for hydrogen readiness, are currently underway.
• TAP is also a participant in the Joint Industry Project H2Pipe for the development of the world’s first guidelines for the transport of hydrogen in existing and new offshore pipelines.

Decarbonisation pathway

We set ourselves on a decarbonisation pathway aiming to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, prioritising initiatives with the greatest impact on reducing emissions, as well as increasing energy efficiency.

• Our short term target is to reduce our carbon footprint by 5%, our methane emissions by 8% and our fugitive emissions by 54% between 2022 and 2025.
• To achieve these targets, we have developed a Carbon Management Plan containing more than 25 initiatives focusing on the reduction of our direct CO2 emissions. For example, we aspire to reduce and eventually replace the use of natural gas in our operations, through potential electrification of our compressor stations, ideally with renewables-based power.

TAP provides strategic and economic benefits to the three host countries through which the pipeline passes: Greece, Albania and Italy.  

The host countries now enjoy enhanced status on the European energy map as regional energy gateways and hubs. The pipeline provides a new gas infrastructure that will be a long-term, sustainable asset to these countries – offering an unprecedented level of security in relation to energy supply and a much-needed stimulus for economic development. 

The construction of the pipeline encouraged considerable foreign investments for the host countries and this is expected to continue over the lifetime of the pipeline.  

TAP provides many other economic benefits to the host countries, including: 

• direct contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) through taxes 
• direct and indirect employment opportunities 
• procurement of goods and services throughout the supply chain 
• social and environmental investments through community programmes. 

At a regional level, TAP supports the EU’s objective of supplying gas to South East Europe. 

The Shah Deniz consortium signed gas sales agreements in September 2013 with European buyers, including energy companies of Greece and Bulgaria.

The proposed Ionian Adriatic Pipeline (IAP), which is planned to connect with TAP in Albania, may turn the country to a gateway for Caspian gas to reach the Western Balkans. Other energy markets in the region, such as Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia and the Republic of North Macedonia, may also benefit from TAP.

In March 2022, the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB), has successfully connected to TAP.  IGB started its commercial operations in October 2022, providing Caspian gas to Bulgaria, enhancing security of energy supplies in one more European country.