A new 2.3 billion dollar maxi-contract to compress gas, enhance its collection, and optimize the flow from Algeria to Italy. Maire, the hi-tech engineering and plant engineering company for the energy transition, was awarded the contract through the consortium with the subsidiary Tecnimont and Baker Hughes, from the Algerian Sonatrach.
«An agreement – the president of Maire, Fabrizio di Amato, explains to Il Messaggero – which makes us proud, because it is fundamental for the energy security of Italy and Europe, in line with that diversification policy which can protect us from new possible shocks energy”.
The project, in the wake of another signed last March with Sonatrach, as recalled by Maire’s CEO, Alessandro Bernini, involves the construction of three gas compression stations. This includes the so-called “turbo-compressors”, capable of compressing approximately 188 million cubic meters of methane per day. In short, more gas can be transported to Italy at the same time. Furthermore, the contract includes the upgrading of the collection system, which includes more than 300 kilometers of pipelines connecting the wells.
HOW DOES IT WORK
Everything will be ready in just over three years. «A record time – according to Di Amato – given that these contracts usually have a longer horizon: we are already at work and the operation will allow us to guarantee greater efficiency to gas supply flows in Italy and Europe». Today, approximately 28% of the gas imported into Italy comes from Algeria, making it the primary source of supply. Definitely safer, at the moment, than Russia, although not immune to some political and economic tensions, as in much of North Africa.
Gas, in this phase of the green transition, is central for the European Commission. Given the ongoing climate emergency, Brussels is pushing member states, through the Green Deal, to immediately abandon the most polluting fossil fuels and to prepare an energy mix that quickly shifts towards renewables, so as to achieve zero carbon dioxide emissions in 2050 .
«The current majority in Europe – adds Di Amato – has also already foreseen the principle of technological neutrality: more technological solutions are possible, as long as the objective of cutting emissions is achieved. Probably, after the June elections, there will be even more space for measures such as CO2 capture, nuclear hydrogen and hydrogen obtained from waste.”
THE INVESTMENT
In the meantime, Maire, through its subsidiary Kinetics Technology, has signed an agreement for the acquisition of 100% of Aps Evolution. The holding controls Aps designing energy, based in Rome, and Kti Poland, two engineering companies specialized in the execution of projects for the treatment of natural resources. «This investment – according to Di Amato – is very relevant for the Capital, which joins two other acquisitions that we have made in recent years and which helps to make the city a European hub for engineering and technology».
Now for the group the objective, after a year that the president defines as “of significant acceleration”, is to “increase efforts where the potential is most unexpressed”, such as Eastern Europe.
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