Italy's Russian gas imports drop to 2.4% of total, Algeria rises to 20% - report

Banka Intesa Sanpaolo dd

06/12/2023 12:09

MILAN, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Italy cut gas imports from
Russia to 2.4% of its total imports in the first ten months of
this year while those from Algeria increased to account for
20.2%, an energy report showed on Wednesday, as Rome shifts its
supply from east to south.
    Gas supplies from Russia through the Trans Austria Gas (TAG)
pipeline in 2020 accounted for 28.4% of the total, according to
the fifth MED & Italian energy report sponsored by Intesa
Sanpaolo bank, while 12% came through the Transmed pipeline from
Algeria. 
    When supplies of Russian gas fell sharply following the
outbreak of war in Ukraine in 2022, Eni  ENI.MI , Italy's
largest natural gas importer, quickly increased volumes from
Africa. 
    The shift, made possible by the group's decades-long
presence on the continent, has seen Algeria replace Russia as 
Italy's largest gas supplier.    
    

 (Reporting by Francesca Landini and Cristina Carlevaro, editing
by Kirsten Donovan)
 ((cristina.carlevaro@thomsonreuters.com; +39 06 80307729;))