$4.5bn Galsi pipeline delayed until 2014

(Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

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The head of the consortium behind the US$4.5 billion Galsi pipeline that will transport gas from Algeria to Italy has said that the project will be delayed until 2014 due to the route of the pipeline changing.

Reuters reported that Roberto Poti said that the route has been changed to ensure seismic stability and now that has been done work should start in 2011.

"There have been delays in the authorisation process which started in July 2008 and is not yet completed, but we hope [to complete it] by the year end," Reuters reported Poti as saying.

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"There will be three years of intense and difficult work and the start-up of the pipeline is expected in 2014," he added.

The 840km pipeline will run along the Mediterranean seabed from Eastern Algeria to the Italian mainland via Sardinia when completed.

Algeria’s state-owned hydrocarbons giant Sonatrach owns 41.6% of the project with Edison owning 20.8%, Enel with 15.6%, Hera with 10.4% and the Sardinia region owning 11.6%.