Italy Boosts Gas Ties with Algeria Amid Qatar Disruptions

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced strengthened energy cooperation with Algeria during a visit to Algiers on Wednesday, aiming to increase natural gas supplies to offset disruptions in liquefied natural gas imports from Qatar.

Meloni met with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to discuss expanding bilateral ties, particularly between Italy's Eni and Algeria's Sonatrach. The two leaders focused on joint projects in shale gas extraction and offshore exploration to boost long-term gas flows. "We have decided to reinforce our already very solid cooperation through our national champions," Meloni said at a joint press conference. Tebboune described the partnership as strategic and reaffirmed Algeria's commitment to meeting its supply obligations amid global market challenges.

Algeria currently provides about 30 percent of Italy's natural gas needs, delivering roughly 20 billion cubic meters last year, with half under contracts between Sonatrach and Eni. Most of this arrives via the TransMed pipeline, which runs across the Mediterranean and operates at full capacity. Algeria also ships some liquefied natural gas, though experts note its production is limited compared...