Libian gas to Italy, is it still flowing?
The world needs alternatives now that the oil and gas supplies from Middle-East and North Africa are becoming very problematic..
From Reuters:
Italy ready to use gas stocks if Libya supply cut
* Libya gas to Italy still flowing, but complicated -minister
* Gas flows from Libya have slowed – energy publication
* Italy gets about 10 pct of gas supplies from Libya
(Combines pvs stories, adds details, background)
ROME, Feb 22 (Reuters) – Italy, which relies heavily on energy imports, is ready to use strategic gas stocks if imports from key supplier Libya are interrupted, the junior minister in charge of energy said.
Political unrest has hit Libya, which is Italy’s biggest oil supplier and covers about 10 percent of its gas needs. Gas is carried via underwater pipeline Greenstream, which is controlled by oil and gas major Eni (ENI.MI).
“Supplies have not been interrupted, but the situation is very complicated,” Industry Undersecretary Stefano Saglia told a conference on Tuesday.
Saglia said the security committee for gas supplies had already been alerted in case flows were interrupted, adding that ordinary and strategic stocks would then be used.
“So there should not be a problem,” he added.
Gas flows from Libya into Italy through the 510 km pipeline have been slowing since late Monday, and the situation is worsening, Italian energy publication Staffetta Quotidiana said, quoting sources close to the situation.
Gas import flows through Sicily’s terminal of Gela, part of the Greenstream pipeline complex, stood at 25.8 million cubic metres on Feb. 20, according to data from Italy’s gas network, Snam Rete Gas (SRG.MI).
The data on Snam’s website was yet to be updated on Tuesday.
