TAP consortium extends maintenance deal in Albania, signals readiness for future gas supplies

The Trans Adriatic Pipeline consortium has confirmed the extension of its maintenance contract with Albania’s Albania Gas Service Company (AGS Co) for an additional five-year period, AzerNEWS reports via Trend News Agency.

According to the consortium, AGS Co - a joint venture between state-owned Albgaz and Italy’s Snam, will continue to provide maintenance services for TAP infrastructure across Albania.

Commenting on potential gas supplies to Albania, the consortium noted that transmission capacity at the country’s exit point was booked for the first time during the 2021 market test.

“TAP will be ready to technically provide the reserved capacities for gas exit in Albania in accordance with the results of the market test. The actual start of gas supplies is not within the competence of TAP, therefore we cannot comment on this,” the consortium stated.

The Trans Adriatic Pipeline transports natural gas from the Shah Deniz field in Azerbaijan’s sector of the Caspian Sea to European markets, forming the final segment of the Southern Gas Corridor.

As a key route for Caspian energy exports, TAP supplies natural gas to South-Eastern European countries through existing and planned interconnectors. The pipeline is linked to the Greece-Bulgaria Interconnector, which entered commercial operation in October 2022, enabling the delivery of Azerbaijani gas to Bulgaria.

Earlier reports indicated that, following the 2021 market test, TAP’s long-term transmission capacity will increase from 2026. A significant portion of this expansion has been allocated for supplies to Italy, while a smaller share has been reserved for Albania, highlighting the country’s emerging role in regional gas distribution.