By Valentina Za, Angelo Amante and Francesca Landini MILAN/ROME, April 2 (Reuters) - Italy will begin receiving liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Golden Pass LNG facility in the United States, a
Italy to get LNG from QatarEnergy-Exxon's US Golden Pass from June, sources say
Italy's LNG Supply Developments and Market Impact
By Valentina Za, Angelo Amante and Francesca Landini
Start of LNG Deliveries from Golden Pass
MILAN/ROME, April 2 (Reuters) - Italy will begin receiving liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Golden Pass LNG facility in the United States, a joint venture between QatarEnergy and Exxon Mobil, from June, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Addressing Supply Gaps Amid Geopolitical Tensions
The LNG tankers from the United States will help Italy plug a potentially costly supply gap due to disruptions from Qatar linked to the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, the sources with knowledge of the LNG market said.
First LNG Shipments from Golden Pass to Italy
Italy is already receiving LNG from the United States but these cargoes would mark the first LNG coming from Golden Pass facilities in Texas to Italy's Adriatic LNG terminal, they said.
Market Trends and Export Data
In March, U.S. exports of LNG rose to an all-time high as plants ran above nameplate capacity and new units started up, preliminary data from financial firm LSEG showed.
Stakeholder Responses
Italian utility Edison, which is facing missing gas deliveries from Qatar, declined to comment.
QatarEnergy was not immediately available for comment. Exxon Mobil said gas exports from Golden Pass LNG would start in the second quarter of this year.
Contractual and Supply Chain Implications
Edison has a long‑term contract with QatarEnergy to receive 6.4 billion cubic metres of LNG per year, or around 10% of Italy's total annual consumption.
Impact of Strait of Hormuz Disruptions
Last week, the Italian company received notification that its Gulf supplier had extended a pause in LNG deliveries because of the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz and said that it would not ship 10 cargoes between April and mid-June.
Qatar's Export Capacity and Force Majeure
Iranian attacks have knocked out 17% of Qatar's LNG export capacity, QatarEnergy's CEO and state minister for energy affairs told Reuters last month.
QatarEnergy will have to declare force majeure on long-term contracts for up to five years for LNG supplies bound for Italy, Belgium, South Korea, and China, its CEO added.
Golden Pass LNG Facility Outlook
Golden Pass LNG said earlier this week that it had produced its first LNG, paving the way for the delivery of an initial cargo. Once fully operational, the facility will be able to produce 18 million metric tons per annum.
(Additional reporting by Sheila Deng in Houston and Marwa Rashad in London; Editing by Nina Chestney and Bernadette Baum)
