Albania will be able to receive Azerbaijani gas via TAP as of 2026 - Ministry of Energy of Azerbaijan

BAKU. Feb 29 (Interfax) - The Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) will be ready to receive an additional 1.2 bcm of gas from Azerbaijan by the end of 2025, Azerbaijan's Energy Ministry said.

Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov held a meeting in Baku on Thursday with Managing Director of TAP AG, Luca Schieppati, the Energy Ministry said.

The ministry said that by the end of 2025, TAP, as part of the first stage of its expansion, will be ready to accept an additional 1.2 bcm of gas (from Azerbaijan) in 2026, 1 bcm of which will go to Italy, while another 200 mcm is exported to Albania .

"At the meeting, the parties also discussed the electrification of compressor stations in Greece and Albania to achieve hydrocarbon neutrality, exchanged views on hydrogen supplies under TAP and other issues," the Ministry of Energy said.

Azerbaijan began exporting gas to Europe on December 31, 2020. Currently, Azerbaijan has contracts for gas supplies to six European countries: Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Serbia. Meanwhile, there are other countries that want to buy gas from Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijani gas shipments to Europe reached 11.8 bcm in 2023.

According to agreements between Azerbaijan and the EU, shipments of Azerbaijani gas will reach at least 20 bcm by 2027.