Last update: August 13, 2010

Sustainability in the history of Snam Rete Gas

'40-'50 | '60-'70 | The '80s | The '90s | 2000-2003 |   2003-2010

The '40s and '50s

The search for hydrocarbons in Italy began in the early forties, but it was only in the following decade, with the discovery of substantial gas fields in the Po valley, that the real industrial activity of exploration, production, transmission and distribution of natural gas started.

The industry was boosted by availability of a national resource and a rapidly evolving economic and industrial scenario.

On 30 October 1941, the Ente Nazionale Metano (founded in '40), Agip, the Royal Salsomaggiore Spa and Società Anonima Utilizzazione e Ricerca Gas Idrocarburati (Surgi) came together to form the Società Nazionale Metanodotti (Snam) to construct and operate gas pipelines, and to distribute and sell gas.

In the first few years, network development, distribution and sales activities were concentrated on the industrial sector of the Po valley. Regular withdrawals and the limited size of the territory guaranteed the gas industry, which was highly sensitive to transport investment, the economic conditions that were fundamental to its start-up.

By 1955 sales had reached 3.6 billion cubic metres, meeting 8% of the national energy requirements.