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By Trend

With the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), in combination with other projects such as the Greek-Bulgarian natural gas pipeline IGB and the Liquefied Natural Gas terminal of Alexandroupolis, Greece becomes the most important transit hub for the transportation of alternative natural gas sources in Southeastern Europe, Kostis Hatzidakis, Greece’s minister of environment and energy said, Trend reports citing EURACTIV.

He hailed the start of TAP operations and said that through DEPA, the natural gas supply company of Greece, the country would start receiving gas from Azerbaijan by the end of the year.

“We look forward to the start of the delivery of commercial quantities of gas to the Greek market and specifically to DEPA under the existing gas supply contract from the Shah Deniz field until the end of the year,” Hatzidakis said.

TAP project, worth 4.5 billion euros, is one of the priority energy projects for the European Union (EU). The project envisages transportation of gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz Stage 2 to the EU countries.

TAP will offer a direct and cost-effective transportation route opening up the vital Southern Gas Corridor, a 3,500-kilometer long gas value chain stretching from the Caspian Sea to Europe.

TAP shareholders include BP (20 percent), SOCAR (20 percent), Snam S.p.A. (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagás (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent).

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