Azerbaijani gas flows via TAP normalize after late-August dip

Azerbaijani gas supplies to Europe through the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, or TAP, have recovered following the completion of planned maintenance at the Shah Deniz upstream facilities, calculations based on European gas transmission data showed.

Average daily physical flows at TAP’s exit point in Melendugno, Italy, rose to about 27 million cubic metres on Sept. 4–10 from around 15 million cubic metres on Aug. 20–26, an increase of about 80% from levels recorded during the maintenance period.

Gas entering TAP at the Turkish-Greek border amounted to about 32 million cubic metres per day on Sept. 10, according to data from the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas, or ENTSOG. Flows at TAP’s Italian exit point stood at 26.7 million cubic metres on the same day.

Azerbaijan Gas Supply Company previously reported that planned maintenance was being carried out at the Shah Deniz upstream facilities in August. The restrictions were in effect on Aug. 8–14 and again on Aug. 20–28.

During the second phase, the expected reduction in gas flows to Europe ranged between 10 million and 13 million cubic metres per day. The maintenance had initially been expected to continue until Sept. 1 but was subsequently shortened to Aug. 28.

The notices did not specify whether the work affected the Shah Deniz Alpha or Shah Deniz Bravo platform.

Despite the sharp increase from late-August levels, current flows are not unusually high. Average deliveries on Sept. 4–10 were only about 3% above levels recorded at the beginning of August and during the comparable period last year, suggesting a recovery from a temporary maintenance-related decline rather than a new sustained surge in exports.

TAP is the European section of the Southern Gas Corridor, carrying Azerbaijani gas through Greece and Albania to Italy and other European markets.

Azerbaijan exported 5.9 billion cubic metres of gas to Europe in the first half of 2026. Full-year supplies in 2025 stood at 12.8 billion cubic metres, down from 12.9 billion cubic metres in 2024.

N.Tebrizli