Italian Looks to Receive LNG from Algeria, Strengthen Energy Cooperation

Italy hopes to receive more gas from Algeria after agreeing to strengthen energy cooperation with the north African nation, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on a visit to Algiers.

Meloni met President Abdelmadjid Tebboune as Rome faces prolonged disruptions in liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies from Qatar, which previously covered around 10% of Italy's annual gas consumption.

"We have decided to strengthen our cooperation — which involves our champions Eni and Sonatrach — also working on new fronts such as shale gas and offshore exploration. This will make it possible, in the long term, to strengthen the flow of gas from Algeria to Italy," Meloni said.

Meloni and Tebboune did not provide details on when and how gas supplies to Italy may be increased.

"I wanted to underline Algeria's willingness to honour its commitments with Italy in the challenges we face regarding supplies… for oil and gas markets," Tebboune said at a joint press briefing.

Last week Italy's energy minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said Rome was talking to several countries, including Algeria, to secure additional gas supplies that would make up for the lost deliveries from Qatar.

Last year Algeria supplied around 20 billion cubic metres of gas to Italy — about 30% of the country's annual consumption — with roughly half delivered under contracts between Sonatrach and Italy's Eni.

(Reuters)