Natural gas, among all fossil fuels, has the smallest carbon footprint.. The challenge is to further reduce its emissions by eliminating so-called fugitive methane emissions, the elimination of process flaring, the integration of renewables into production activities, the use of carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) technologies, Natural Climate Solutions projects and blue hydrogen production. In parallel, natural gas will be increasingly complemented by biogas.
In this context, gas plays a central role in Eni's strategy to achieve zero net GHG emissions (scope 1,2,3) by 2050, contributing to the goal of offering our customers increasingly decarbonised products and services. It remains a key element not only for Eni's business, but also to strengthen the security of energy supply.
The combination of these two aspects - reduction of GHG emissions and energy security - makes natural gas a major contributor to the energy transition. For these reasons, the gas component will become increasingly dominant in Eni's production mix, accounting for 60% of hydrocarbon production in 2030 and over 90% in 2050, in a context in which overall hydrocarbon production is expected to reach a plateau in 2025 and then decline over time.
The use of natural gas to improve energy access is also part of our commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Adopting a lower-impact energy mix of gas and renewables is part of our energy access projects in the countries in which we operate, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where more than half a billion people do not have access to electricity despite the wide availability of energy sources.
