History
Snam was founded on 30 October 1941 in San Donato Milanese, Lombardy, with the name Società Nazionale Metanodotti, with participation from Ente Nazionale Metano (Agip), Regie Terme di Salsomaggiore, and Società Anonima Utilizzazione e Ricerca Gas Idrocarburati (SURGI). The objectives were the construction of methane pipelines, and the distribution and sale of gas.[10] During wartime, methane became crucial for Italy, leading to the construction of the first methane pipeline bringing gas from the wells in Salsomaggiore (Parma) to Lodi and Milan.[11]
With the Italian law of February 10, 1953, nr. 136, at the time of the establishment of ENI, the impact of methane production in the Po Valley remained significant, making the exclusive reserve on the exploration and cultivation of hydrocarbons granted to the state company in that area highly relevant. This was due to both the economic and industrial value of methane production in the Po Valley and its symbolic significance to the public. To protect the Italian state’s subsurface resources, AGIP had received exclusive rights to the area’s resources by virtue of an outdated mining law.[12]
Structured into functional subholdings (AGIP mineraria for oil and methane exploration and distribution; AGIP for refining and selling petroleum products and methane; SNAM, Società NAzionale Metanodotti, for the transportation system; ANIC, for coordinating chemical activities), the ENI group was thus able to finance its growth through the sale of natural gas (methane rent), also stimulating the Italian economy by providing low-cost energy.[12]
In 1955, Snam Montaggi was established, incorporating SAIP in 1957 and becoming Saipem. In 1956, Snam Progetti (later Snamprogetti) was founded for designing large onshore plants. In 2006, Saipem acquired all Snamprogetti shares from Eni.[13]
In 1961, the construction of two methane pipelines in central and southern Italy began. The first transported gas discovered in the province of Chieti to Terni and Rome, and the second transported methane extracted in Basilicata to the coast of Puglia. Within ten years, the gas transportation network reached a national scale with an extension of 8,000 kilometers. In 1974, gas from the Siberian fields arrived in Sergnano (Cremona), and the same year saw the start of an 830-kilometer pipeline importing gas from the Groeningen field (Netherlands). By 1980, Snam’s gas pipelines reached a total length of nearly 15,000 kilometers.[10]
In 1983, the Transmed pipeline was completed, capable of transporting Algerian gas through the Mediterranean and Italy, from Sicily to Lombardy, over a total length of more than 2,400 kilometers.[14]
On 1 June 2001, following the European directive for the liberalization of the gas market, Snam separated its non-transport activities and changed its name to Snam Rete Gas. On July 27, 2001, GNL Italia was established, wholly owned by the company. Snam Rete Gas has been traded on the Borsa Italiana since 6 December 2001.[7] On 1 January 2012, it was renamed with the original name of Snam.[10]
On February 12, 2009, Snam Rete Gas S.p.A. acquired 100% of Italgas S.p.A. from Eni S.p.A. for 3.07 billion euros, and 100% of Stoccaggi Gas Italia S.p.A. for 1.65 billion euros. Payment was made through a capital increase of 3.5 billion euros and a 1.3-billion-euro loan. The transaction closed in July 2009, creating a group with a gas transportation network of 31,500 kilometers, a gas distribution network of 58,000 kilometers, and a storage capacity of 14 billion cubic meters, including 5 billion cubic meters of strategic reserve.[15]
Starting January 1, 2012, the name changed from Snam Rete Gas to Snam S.p.A., and in compliance with European directives, the transportation business was transferred to the new wholly owned subsidiary Snam Rete Gas S.p.A. The company changed its logo, abandoning Eni’s six-legged dog and adopting a logo similar to the original from the 1940s.[10]
In April 2019, Snam launched the first injection of a hydrogen and natural gas into the pipeline, the Europe's first commercial test of a hydrogen-methane blend in a high-pressure network.[16]
In April 2023, Snam received a 300-million-euro loan from Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) for the construction of the Adriatic Backbone, a gas pipeline under construction to increase the transportation capacity at entry points in Southern Italy. Phase 1 of the project is among the works financed under the RepowerEU Plan.[17]
In May 2024, Snam received a 200-million-euro ESG-linked loan from Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP). The operation is dedicated to the reconstruction of the Ravenna-Chieti gas pipeline and strengthens the infrastructure for transporting natural gas from Southern to Northern Italy. In a perspective of energy security and decarbonization, it will also be compatible with hydrogen transport. The gas pipeline, whose main line will be completed by 2026, will be interconnected with the Adriatic Backbone currently under construction.[17]
The 200-million-euro ESG-linked loan contributes to achieving Snam’s sustainable finance target of 85% by 2027.[17]
In May 2024, during the presentation of the first-quarter financial results, Snam revised upward its 2024 guidance for EBITDA and net profit, increasing the financial targets for 2024 and anticipating the goals set by the 2023-2027 Industrial Plan by one year.[18]
In March 2026, the company presented its 2026-2030 Industrial Plan, including €14 billion in investments for transport, storage, and regasification infrastructure and the Ravenna CCS (carbon capture and storage) project.[19] The 2025 financial results reported a net income of €1.42 billion and an EBITDA of €2.96 billion.[20]
Italgas partial spin-off
Starting November 7, 2016, following the partial proportional spin-off of Snam S.p.A., with the transfer of 86.5% of the stake held in Italgas Reti S.p.A. to its shareholders, Italgas S.p.A. was re-listed on the stock exchange after 13 years.[21] From 2018, Snam’s brand identity was renewed,[22] with a new logo and values accompanying the company in new projects such as the construction of infrastructure for stable and secure energy supplies and the development of gas as a renewable source. The renewed brand marked the transition towards the concept of landscape and environmental responsibility.[23]
In 2024, Snam also proposed a new ambition statement (“Energy infrastructure for a sustainable future”) highlighting new sustainability goals, including reducing emissions to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 and “Net Zero” by 2050.[24]
