BAAR, Switzerland, March 29 (UPI) -- The planned Trans-Adriatic natural gas pipeline is the most compelling project for the BP-led consortium in Azerbaijan, the project's managing director said.
TAP said it submitted a bid for consideration to the BP-led consortium working in the giant offshore Shah Deniz natural gas field in Azerbaijan. The group said its proposal included "hundreds of documents" outlining environmental, technical and financial aspects of the planned natural gas corridor.
"TAP's routing and easy expansion allows TAP to supply more gas to several markets in southeastern Europe and northern Europe, as and when more volumes become available," Managing Director Kjetil Tungland said in a statement. "Our pipeline is truly designed with the future in mind."
TAP is shorter than the more ambitious Nabucco West. Both are part of the Southern Corridor, a European network of pipelines meant to break Russia's grip on the region's energy sector.
Tungland said the project is "easily scalable" to 700 billion cubic feet, about twice its planned capacity, for European consumers.
Nabucco Gas Pipeline International GmbH in February called on potential steel suppliers to apply for the pre-qualification phase for the planned construction of the 820-mile, 48-inch Nabucco West pipeline.
The Shah Deniz consortium is expected to make a decision between Nabucco West and TAP by June.
