South-North gas transit trade on the up

摘要

Energy production in the Mediterranean is still mainly gas orientated and characterised by a south-north flow of gas.Spain and Italy produce some gas for their domestic markets and import more gas from the Magreb via pipelines.Caspacity will be boosted soon by the completion in 2005 of a line running from Melitah in Libya to mainland Italy via Sicily.While Libya awaits the return of US c ompanies,Eni,Total,OMV and Repsol continue to be the main players.Italy is also to become a major purchaser of LNG which will be shipped north for regasification in Italy.Production of Egyptian LNG is expected to take off in 2004/5.