Italian utility Enel SpA (ENEL.MI) is more interested in buying the Caspian natural gas that will be carried by the planned Trans Adriatic Pipeline than in acquiring a stake in the project, the company's chief executive said Tuesday.

"I am interested in buying their gas at good conditions and if necessary I will be participating (with) a stake in TAP, but my priority is to have the gas," Fulvio Conti told journalists.

His remarks hint at a change in strategy by Enel, as the company has been flirting for months with the consortium that is planning TAP--which includes Norway's Statoil ASA, Swiss Axpo and Germany's E.ON AG--over a possible entry into the shareholding.

The comments come just months ahead of a final choice by Shah Deniz--the consortium that will provide the gas from an offshore field in Azerbaijan --on whether to export its gas to Italy via TAP, or transport it to Austria using another planned pipeline, Nabucco West.

The Shah Deniz consortium--in which BP PLC (BP), Norwegian state oil company Statoil ASA (STO) and Azerbaijan 's Socar are the main players--is expected to reach an initial decision in June and a final deal by October.

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