The energy crisis causes constant upheavals in the ranking of suppliers and buyers in the foreign trade of gas in Spain. While all of Europe is trying to break its dependence on Russian gas in the middle of the war, Spain manages to benefit from an extensive network of regasification plants Those who ship and ship gas and make the most of international gas pipelines, which is causing gas re-exports to other countries to skyrocket.
Spanish gas exports increased by almost 63% between January and Octoberaccording to the records Strategic Reserves Corporation (Cores) and October sales more than tripled. Last year, Spain more than doubled gas sales to France—although sales have slowed in recent months and the tide has reversed—and now Italy, a country traditionally heavily dependent on Russian gas, is making an unexpected turn. plays an important role in natural gas exports.
The Italian Government has promoted a kind of ‘sea bridge’ to increase gas imports from Spain by using small methane tankers that constantly load liquefied natural gas (LNG) at Spanish regasification plants, particularly at the Barcelona plant. Officials of both countries are also speaking. one started virtual pipeline, Using a boat, not a pipe.
Its renewed commercial intensity virtual pipeline did this Gas exports to Italy will increase by 72,800% to 2,809 gigawatt hours (GWh) in October.), a figure that stands at an all-time high, making the transalpine country the main target for gas sales in the Spanish market with just over 40% of the total. Between January and October, gas sales to Italy increased nearly sixfold to 7,132 GWh, accounting for 14% of total exports.
Enagás, manager of the Spanish gas system and most of the regasification plants in the country, completed the adaptation of the Port of Barcelona’s regasification plant pier at the end of October to increase cargo carrying capacity. to transport the gas to other European countries, especially Italy, using small methane tankers.
Spain re-exports Europe approximately 20% of all gas reaching the country and, if necessary, has the capacity to further increase its resale. According to data handled by Enagás, the Spanish gas system could export 8,500 million cubic meters (8.5 bcm) of gas per year to the continent via two gas pipelines with France, following a capacity increase with a new compressor launched in Irún in November. and currently has the capacity to ship an additional 4 billion cubic meters from the regasification plants.
However, if regasification plants are brought to full capacity, almost 10 billion cubic meters more could be added and the amount diverted to other European countries could increase to over 20 billion cubic meters each year (about 13% of the volume of gas Europe buys from Russia). . In addition, in the coming months, the hitherto idle Asturian El Musel facility will be put into operation to be used as a re-export logistics warehouse, which could increase Spain’s capacity to deliver gas to Europe by another 8 billion cubic meters from the next date. year.