August 9, 2012. Plans for the Trans Adriatic Pipeline project, aimed to carry Caspian natural gas to Italy, received a boost, as the pipeline consortium said energy giants BP PLC, France's Total SA and Azerbaijan's state oil company Socar have agreed to fund the project. The agreement--which includes an option for the companies to buy up to 50% of TAP-- could give the project a strong advantage over its competitor, the much talked-about Nabucco project, because BP, Total and Socar are three of the main partners in the development of Shah Deniz II, a major gas field offshore Azerbaijan.