Transitgas Delays Start of Natural Gas Shipments to Italy on Bad Weather

Transitgas AG, operator of a natural gas link crossing Switzerland to Italy, said deliveries of the fuel won’t resume this month after bad weather again endangered the pipeline.

“After new storm events in the Spreitlaui creek crossing near Guttannen, the natural gas transport activities on Transitgas pipeline section TRG23 cannot be restored by the end of August 2010 as foreseen,” the company said on its website today.

Transitgas didn’t give a date for a resumption of flows and said it’s assessing additional pipeline protection measures and the speed at which the changes can be made.

“To find a long-term solution, feasibility studies for an alternative pipeline route are already in progress,” Transitgas said. A decision on this measure will be taken “in the coming months,” according to the statement.

The pipeline shut on July 23 and its start has been delayed a number of times by landslide damage.

Data from Snam Rete Gas SpA, Italy’s gas-pipeline operator, show the Transitgas pipeline imported 59 million cubic meters of gas into Italy on July 22.

Gas supplies to Switzerland and Italy are being met by other transport routes and gas held in storage, Transitgas said.

Swissgas AG owns 51 percent of Transitgas while Eni SpA owns 46 percent and E.ON AG the rest.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ben Farey in London at bfarey@bloomberg.net

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