Greenstream Pipeline

This article is part of the Global Fossil Infrastructure Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor.

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Greenstream Pipeline, also called the Melita-Gela-Sicily Pipeline, is an undersea transnational pipeline delivering gas from Mellitah, Libya to Sicily, Italy.

Location

The 520 km Greenstream pipeline runs from Mellitah, Libya to Gela on the Italian island of Sicily.

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Project Details

• Owner: Eni (50%), National Oil Corporation (50%)
• Operator: Greenstream BV
• Capacity: 1,059 million cubic feet per day / 11 billion cubic meters per year
• Length: 520 kilometers
• Diameter: 32 inches
• Status: Operating
• Start Year: 2004

Background

The 520 kilometer Greenstream pipeline connects Libyan gas fields with the Italian gas market. The pipeline runs from the Mellitah compressor station in Libya to the reception terminal at Gela, Sicily in Italy. The pipeline, which is operated by Greenstream BV, is jointly owned by Italy's major energy company, ENI, and Libya's National Oil Corporation. In 2010, ENI gave up 25% of its share in the company, thereby making both ENI (50%) and NOC (50%) equal shareholders in the company.

Pipeline shutdowns

The outbreak of war in Libya in 2011 led to the shutdown of the pipeline, drastically affecting ENI's production. The pipeline would eventually be restarted in 2012.

In late 2014, Amazigh protesters took over the port of Mellitaha and effectively shut down the gas pipeline between Libya and Italy. Amazigh protesters demanded that their language become an official language protected by the new constitution and that they should also have a larger say in the development of the new constitution. The Amazigh protesters declared that Berbers are treated as second-class citizens in the Arab majority country. At the time of the closure, the capacity of the pipeline was down to 15.9 million cubic meters per day.