Caspian Report - Issue: 07 - Spring 2014

the long term perspective, the additional
gas can be used in transportation,
with a lower environmental
impact.
A final remark must be made in relation
to the “Southern-European gas
hub” opportunity. In principle, Italy
has the geographic and infrastructural
potential to become an important
hub in an integrated European
gas system. Importing gas from
Azerbaijan (through Turkey), Algeria,
Libya and from the Arabic LNG
sources such as Qatar, Italy could
to export gas to other European
countries. But if Italy is to become
the Southern-European gas hub (or
Euro-Mediterranean), it must seek a
new model, encouraged by community
regulations and focused on flexibility
and competition, as the European
Union is currently developing.
National and European market competition
should be associated with
the creation of a commercial and
infrastructural hub, serving not only
national but also European demand,
especially from the Central Eastern
market. In order to do this, investments
must be made not only in the
import capacity, but also in internal
transportation infrastructures and
at the borders with Swiss, Slovenia
and Austria, expanding the network
of reverse flow pipes.
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CASPIAN REPORT, SPRING 2014