-1525430851.jpg "TAP infrastructure not affected by earthquake in Albania")
A 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit 34km (21 miles) north-west of Albania’s capital, Tirana, in the early hours of Nov.26.
At least 18 people have been killed as a result of the quake. The quake brought down buildings and left people trapped under rubble. One man died after jumping from a window in panic after the tremor struck.
“TAP stands in solidarity with the Albanian nation and we express our deepest condolences to the families affected by the tragic events. In light of the powerful earthquake on 26 November, TAP can confirm that all TAP personnel, the pipeline infrastructure, as well as the above ground facilities have not been affected,” she said.
Givert said TAP is monitoring the situation closely and has advised its personnel to take relevant safety precautions in the event of further aftershocks.
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.
Connecting with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Greek-Turkish border, TAP will cross Northern Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea before coming ashore in Southern Italy to connect to the Italian natural gas network.
The project is currently in its construction phase, which started in 2016.
Once built, 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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