Pietro De Leo March 27, 2022
15 billion cubic meters is a tenth of what we import from Russia. We still have to understand the timing, tariffs and costs. with David Tabarelli, President of Nomisma Energia and university professorAnalyzes the timeAgreement between the European Union and the United States on the import of liquefied petroleum gas from overseas. With starting point. Given the volumes at stake, Tabarelli notes that the agreement “is not crucial, nor is the 50 billion cubic meters by 2030. We also need to understand how to achieve it. We’re talking about that and not about specific things like coal, nuclear power, gas production, which are already there.”
So are we just political understanding?
«Yes, and it seems to me an attempt to calm the markets, the people, and maybe “deceive the enemy”. All understandable, for heaven’s sake. But it seems to me that the rulers do not have a clear idea of what we are like … “
But at least the centralized purchase decision could be positive. Europe would have more bargaining power.
“Theoretically yes, and that has never happened before. But we must bear in mind that we are in a war situation, we are desperate and essentially we are going to ask for help ».
However, this raises another very important issue in Italy. There are few regasifiers. Three plants and two other projects for Porto Empedocle and Gioia Tauro.
“Yes, it would definitely take some time, two or three years, and I read that there are already opponents. Let’s consider that the first idea for Porto Empedocle was born eighteen years ago ».
The government says two regasifiers, which are floating ships, will arrive.
“Yes, I heard. But it’s not easy there either. There is one of 3.5 billion cubic meters in Livorno, and it took four years to become operational. I don’t know, there are no free ones, they’re all already up and running. Then, of course, a miracle can always happen».
Does American LNG have different environmental impacts than the gas coming through the pipeline from Russia?
“Inside. However, extraction and transportation increase the environmental impact of American gas ».
How?
«To extract Russian gas, or even what we have in Italy, you just apply pressure and it ‘pops out’. In the United States it is different: there are subterranean rocks full of hydrocarbons, but a different process must be carried out: water must be “shot” at very high pressure, which breaks up the rocks. So water mixed with gas comes out, and they have to be separated. Throughout the process, microperforations must be made, which lead to leaks, and a lot of water must be used. That explained everything as simply as possible, but the principle is that ».
Then there is the transport side.
“Having ships arrive from 4,000 kilometers away that have to cross an ocean takes a lot of energy, and then there’s always a percentage methane loss over those enormous distances.”
Therefore, in their opinion, it would have been more effective to focus on the immediate and the perspective: coal, maximizing our extraction, nuclear power.
“I’ll tell you something else too. We never talk about Holland. There is a huge field there, the closure of which has caused problems for all of Europe. They decided to close it because there are microseismic issues. And then Holland, like everyone else, has become a super ecofriendly country. This field produced 70 billion cubic meters. In a short time it could produce 20, 30 billion.
But the problem of microseismicity?
“I remind you that we are in an emergency. Compensation can be studied. And then, sorry, but in the years between Italy, Switzerland, France, we covered the Netherlands with billions. Now, at such a moment, can’t they increase production? ».