Italy is in a hurry to find alternatives to Russian gas from whose dependence it could free itself “in 24-30 months” and among the roads to take it accelerates on that of regasifiers. At the moment, explained the Minister of Ecological Transition, Roberto Cingolani, “we have three that reach 60% of their operating capacity, and can soon be brought to a higher efficiency thus producing more gas. After that we will install a first floating regasification plant for half of this year ».
The purchase of LNG
The race for gas independence will see an increase in the purchase of LNG (liquefied natural gas) and as a first step, a LNG carrier is likely to arrive off the Italian coast: “These objects are lucky enough to be mobile, so they are placed near the pipes and they can transform liquid gas into the sea and then we will build other infrastructures in the next 12-24 months », explained Cingolani.
Where the plants are located
The plant mentioned by the minister could be similar to the Olt facility in Tuscany (3.75 billion cubic meters per year of authorized capacity, 49.07% owned by Snam and 48.24% by the Australian fund First Sentier Investors while 2.69% is owned by the shipping company Golar Lng) and which will also be added to the regasification plant of Panigaglia in Liguria, (3.5 billion cubic meters per year, owned by Snam), the first plant of this type built in Italy, and the largest in operation, Adriatic Lng (8 billion cubic meters per year), also off shore, about 15 kilometers from the coast, in the province of Rovigo, in Veneto (where Snam has 7.3% the remainder is owned by ExxonMobil 70.7% and Qatar Petroleum 22%).
The new storages
The total capacity of these three regasifiers is about 20% of the national requirement and it is possible to increase it even if it will depend on the availability of supplies. Therefore “we will put our regasifiers at full capacity, taking liquid gas from the United States, Canada and North Africa, with an input of about 5 billion cubic meters this year; 15 of the 25 billion Russians are already covered “, the minister anticipated, adding that from the summer” we will have to accelerate new storage in view of next winter “and on this front there are 13 sites (for 9 the infrastructures are from Snam, for 3 of Edison and 1 of the Ital gas storage fund).
Comparison of stocks in the EU
Italy is first for gas storage in the European Union in these hours of war between Russia and Ukraine. With a total of 74.1724 TWh, it stores 23.4% of current European capacity, equal to 316.927 TWh. Germany follows with 67.77 TWh, Holland with 30.04 TWh and France with 27.79 TWh. EU stocks at the moment are 28.64% of the total and Italian stocks are 37.51%, more than in Germany (28.16%) and France (21.64%). And the government’s strategy includes renewables on which “we are accelerating like never before”, even if gas remains “a useful transition fuel” premier Draghi had already announced.