The Final investment decision on the Trans Adriatic Pipeline's (TAP) expansion is expected in Q1 2027, TAP Managing Director Luca Schieppati said in an exclusive interview with Trend on the sidelines of the Baku Energy Week.
"A Market Test is a regulated process, which aims to allow shippers to express their interest and potentially commit to long-term capacity bookings. These commitments are a key condition for successfully moving forward, as they need to demonstrate that any expansion is both commercially viable and sustainable. Any Market Test is structured in two phases: a non-binding phase, followed by a binding phase," he said.
Schieppati noted that the non-binding phase of the 2025 Market Test, launched in July 2025, is still progressing, and the process is now moving into the next stages, where the potential expansion is further developed and assessed, including through a consultation process and a final project proposal.
"In practical terms, this means that there is interest from the market, but the process is still ongoing and no final investment decision has yet been taken. The decision to invest in new capacity will depend on sufficient binding long-term commitments from shippers to ensure project viability. The next key steps include completing the consultation process, finalising the project proposal and moving towards the binding phase, where subject to sufficient binding commitments, capacity may be allocated to shippers and a final investment decision can be taken. This final step is currently foreseen to take place in the course of Q1 2027," he explained.
As for the Fier gas exit point project in Albania, the managing director noted that it will be designed, procured and constructed by TAP and subsequently handed over to the Albanian government.
"It represents a multimillion‑euro investment and a key step in supporting the development of the country’s gas network. Following the award of the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract, engineering and procurement activities are currently underway. Construction works are expected to commence in mid‑2026, in line with the project schedule. TAP remains fully committed to supporting Albania’s gasification, with the Fier exit point expected to play an important role in enabling access to natural gas and strengthening regional connectivity," said Schieppati.
He noted that TAP has repeatedly demonstrated its strategic relevance for Europe’s energy security by providing a new source and route of gas supply.
"Since the start of commercial operations, the pipeline has delivered close to 60 billion cubic metres of gas to Europe. This is reflected in key markets such as Italy, where TAP accounted for around 16% of total imports and 25% of pipeline gas in 2025, and Greece, where it covered over 14% of imports. Beyond volumes, TAP has contributed to strengthening the role of our host countries as integral parts of Europe’s energy system, enhancing regional connectivity and security of supply, while also bringing a more competitive and lower-carbon alternative to certain fuels to South-East Europe and the Western Balkans, where the energy sector is still overly reliant on heavy fossil fuels, such as coal and lignite for power generation. In an increasingly complex environment, diversification of sources and routes, together with resilience and adaptability to evolving market conditions, are becoming ever more important. Infrastructure such as TAP, as part of the Southern Gas Corridor, plays a central role in enabling these dynamics and enhancing the overall resilience of the European energy system," said TAP's managing director.
He went on to add that reliability, resilience and flexibility are central to TAP’s development, both in commercial and operational terms.
"Alongside standard capacity products, the pipeline has progressively enhanced its offerings - enabling features such as reverse flow and intra-day deliveries - while also expanding its physical capacity in response to market demand. The recent expansion of the pipeline, delivered following the 2021 Market Test results, is a key milestone in this respect, adding more capacity to the system and reinforcing TAP’s ability to provide both volume and flexibility to the markets it operates in. Looking ahead, TAP is positioning itself not only as a reliable gas transporter, but as a future-proof energy infrastructure. In the medium term, this translates into maintaining competitiveness and resilience, while exploring further market opportunities, interconnections, and potential additional supply routes. In parallel, the Company is actively preparing for the longer term by ensuring that TAP can adapt to different energy scenarios, including the gradual integration of lower-carbon gases, such as biomethane and hydrogen, in line with evolving regulatory and market requirements. Ultimately, TAP’s ambition is to continue evolving into a flexible and resilient multipurpose energy corridor, capable of supporting both energy security and the energy transition in a balanced and pragmatic way," said Schieppati.
Speaking about advancing the decarbonisation goals, the managing director noted that TAP is committed to contributing to Europe’s energy transition, including by preparing its infrastructure for the potential transport of low‑carbon gases.
"At the same time, the Company is actively working to reduce its overall environmental footprint. A central component of this effort is the decarbonisation of our own operations, where significant results have already been achieved and further enhancements are planned. A key driver of this effort is the implementation of the Carbon Management Plan, aligned with TAP’s Long‑Term Energy Transition Strategy. The first Plan (2022–2025) included a comprehensive set of initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across operations, covering carbon dioxide, methane and fugitive emissions. By 2025, TAP achieved strong results, reducing total greenhouse gas emissions by more than 25% compared to forecast, methane emissions by over 50%, and fugitive emissions by more than 85% compared to the baseline," he added.
Schieppati pointed out that building on this performance, TAP has launched a new Carbon Management Plan for the period 2026–2030 to further enhance emissions performance and operational efficiency.
"As part of this effort, TAP is advancing targeted measures to decarbonise its operations, including programmes to reduce fugitive emissions and operational optimisation measures aimed at improving energy efficiency across its assets. The Company is also assessing electrification options for compressor stations, in the context of a potential expansion, as well as strengthening emissions monitoring and reporting systems. A key priority remains the reduction of methane emissions through the application of best available technologies and practices. In this context, TAP is progressing under the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP 2.0) framework, a UNEP‑led initiative that sets the global standard for methane measurement, reporting and mitigation in the oil and gas sector, with the aim of achieving full Gold Standard certification," he concluded.
