The Transitgas Pipeline is a long natural
gas pipeline
Pipeline transport is the long-distance transportation of a liquid or gas through a system of pipes—a pipeline—typically to a market area for consumption. The latest data from 2014 gives a total of slightly less than of pipeline in 120 countr ...
in
Switzerland, which connects
Trans Europa Naturgas Pipeline (TENP) from
Wallbach at the
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
border and
Gaz de France
Gaz de France (GDF) was a French company which produced, transported and sold natural gas around the world, especially in France, its main market. The company was also particularly active in Belgium, the United Kingdom, Germany, and other Europe ...
gas grid from
Rodersdorf/
Oltingue at the
French border with the Snam Rete Gas S.p.A. owned gas grid in
Gries Pass,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
.
History
The company owning the pipeline, Transitgas AG, was established in
Zurich on 25 June 1971. The first stage of pipeline between Wallbach and
Ruswil came on stream in April 1974. In 1994, the second pipe was laid between Wallbach and
Lostorf. Between 1998 and 2003, the pipeline was extended to Italy and a compressor station was built in
Ruswil. In 2001 the 55-kilometre long interconnection to France was commissioned.
Ownership
The pipeline is owned by Transitgas AG and operated by FluxSwiss and
Swissgas AG. Transitgas AG was owned by Swissgas AG (51%), Eni International BV (46%), and E.ON Ruhrgas AG (3%). However, after settling antitrust proceedings with the
European Commission
The European Commission (EC) is the executive of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "Commissioners") headed by a President. It includes an administrative body ...
's
DG Competition
The Directorate-General for Competition (DG COMP) is a Directorate-General of the European Commission, located in Brussels. The DG Competition employs around 850 officials, as well as a number of seconded national officials, among other from nat ...
in 2010,
[
] ENI divested from Transitgas AG in 2011 and sold its shares to the fully ownership unbundled Belgian Transmission System Operator
Fluxys, along with its shares in
TENP pipeline system which links Belgium to the Transitgas Pipeline through Germany, for a total of €860 million.
[
]
Antitrust case
Since 2007, the
European Commission
The European Commission (EC) is the executive of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "Commissioners") headed by a President. It includes an administrative body ...
has been probing Eni's alleged restrictive practices on the
TAG, Transitgas and TENP pipelines by limiting third parties access to the pipelines.
[
] The hearing is set for 27 November 2007.
[
]
References
External links
Transitgas AG
Transport – Transitgas system (Swissgas website)
{{Authority control
Natural gas infrastructure
Energy infrastructure completed in 1974
Natural gas pipelines in Switzerland