Azerbaijan’s Energy Ministry highlights TAP gas supply network expansion

The expansion of the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) will allow for the transport of additional gas volumes, which in turn will further expand the network of supply, the Azerbaijan Energy Ministry said in response to Trendchr("39")s request ahead of the fifth anniversary of TAPchr("39")s commercial operation.

"Over the past five years, TAP has confirmed Azerbaijanchr("39")s strategic role in strengthening Europechr("39")s energy security and diversifying gas supplies, enhancing our countrychr("39")s reputation as a reliable energy partner and opening broad opportunities for integration into new markets.

Thanks to TAP, Azerbaijan has become the fourth-largest supplier of pipeline gas to the European Union, with a 7% share. To date, 51.2 billion cubic meters of gas have been delivered to European countries via TAP, including 42.9 billion cubic meters to Italy, 4.9 billion to Greece, and 3.4 billion to Bulgaria. In the first nine months of this year alone, TAP delivered a total of 8.5 billion cubic meters of gas, with 7 billion cubic meters going to Italy, 0.8 billion to Greece, and 0.7 billion to Bulgaria," the ministry said.

The ministry noted that countries already receiving natural gas via the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline and showing interest in increasing supply volumes include Italy, Bulgaria, and Serbia.

"In general, many European countries have emphasized their sustained interest in cooperation in this area. Work is currently underway to organize gas supplies to Albania via TAP starting in 2026.

The increase of TAP supplies by an additional 1.2 billion cubic meters by 2026 was approved in January 2024. Since then, relevant adjustments have been made to our countrychr("39")s gas production strategy. The expansion of the TAP pipeline will allow for the transport of additional gas volumes, which in turn will increase the number of countries receiving Azerbaijani gas and further expand the supply network," the ministry said.

The ministry recalled that since 2022, a High-Level Energy Dialogue has been held under the co-chairmanship of Azerbaijanchr("39")s Ministry of Energy and the European Commissioner for Energy.

"Expanding the Southern Gas Corridor and increasing supply volumes are priority topics of this dialogue. In this context, over the past years, Azerbaijan has mobilized its capabilities to ensure not only that the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline operates at full capacity, but also to achieve nearly a 60% increase in gas supplies to Europe, as well as to organize gas deliveries to countries that are not TAP members via Türkiye and Bulgaria. Prospects for further increasing gas supplies to Europe depend directly on the policies of the European Union," the ministry said.

Regarding hydrogen supplies via TAP, the Energy Ministry noted that the technical feasibility is currently being assessed.

"The chr("39")Azerbaijan Low-Carbon Hydrogen Economy Market Studychr("39") has been conducted, and the chr("39")

Azerbaijan National Hydrogen Strategic Outlook has been prepared, aimed at developing the production, transport, distribution, and export of low-carbon hydrogen.

Within this framework, various hydrogen production scenarios, potential export routes, and the possibilities for transporting hydrogen via pipelines have been examined. At present, the technical feasibility of transporting hydrogen through the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) is being evaluated," the ministry explained.