Change the map of Italy’s gas supplies. If in 2021 the largest import partner was Russia with 29.1 billion cubic meters transited from Tarvisio to our country, in 2022 the share of gas coming from Moscow fell by 61% to 11.2 billion meters cubes. The flow from Algeria, the second country for the quantity of gas imported, grew by 12%, from 21.2 to 23.7 billion cubic metres. While Azerbaijan, the third state from which Italy receives the most gas, has increased its exports to our country, passing in 2022 to a supply of 10.2 billion cubic meters, against 7.2 in 2021 ( +41%).
Gas from the North
For smaller shares, exploits of gas from Holland and Norway with a growth of 241%: from 2.2 billion cubic meters in 2021 to 7.4 in 2022. And in a small way also LNG (liquefied natural gas ), which is transported by ship and not by pipeline, shows its potential, with the Panigaglia (La Spezia) regasification terminal doubling its capacity in 2022, going from 1.1 to 2.2 billion cubic meters of processed gas (+102%) and that of Livorno which received 2.2 billion cubic meters in 2022 against 1.4 the previous year (+70%).
The regasification terminal issue
For 2023, in view of a further decrease in gas from Russia, a reflection on supply routes is necessary. On 20 January Stefano Venier, CEO of Snam, announced that the Piombino regasification terminal, after the granting of the supplementary environmental authorisation, will be operational by May, but the city’s municipality has announced a possible new appeal to the TAR. While for the new Ravenna regasification terminal it will be necessary to wait until the summer of 2024.
Snam’s investments
To understand the new geography of gas, we can start from Snam’s 2022-26 strategic plan. In fact, 6.3 billion euros of investment are planned for gas transport. The most important project in this case is the construction of the Adriatic Line: 425 kilometers of pipeline between Sulmona and Minerbio, near Bologna, to increase flows from south to north. On the other hand, 1.4 billion euros are intended for the development of LNG, which includes the investment in two floating regasification terminals (in Piombino and Ravenna) and the related infrastructural developments, as well as for small scale Lngi.e. the management of small/medium quantities of natural gas, mainly used to supply LNG and BioLNG to the heavy land, sea and railway transport sectors.
Algeria and Azerbaijan
Davide Tabarelli, president of Nomisma Energia, reflects on the dramatic drop in gas imports from Russia: «The 11 billion cubic meters we received in 2022 went into stocks, which are now high and have made us safe. But already in view of next winter, if that number drops further, it will be a problem. The 23.7 billion cubic meters arriving from Algeria could be more: in the past the country sent us 30. But now they don’t have any and there is a bottleneck in the north that blocks them. Luckily for Italy there is the Tap, from which gas arrives from Azerbaijan: 10.2 billion which could now be doubled. It makes sense to invest on the Adriatic side: on the Sumona-Minerbio pipeline, as per Snam’s plans, with the dream of making the outlet near Bologna the Mediterranean hub where the gas is delivered to the market. Because the gas must reach as far north as possible, this is also an important condition».