The Trans Austria Gas pipeline is a natural gas

Natural gas

Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...

 pipeline

Pipeline transport

Pipeline transport is the transportation of goods through a pipe. Most commonly, liquids and gases are sent, but pneumatic tubes that transport solid capsules using compressed air are also used....

 that leads from the Slovak

Slovakia

The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...

-Austria

Austria

Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...

n border at Baumgarten an der March

Baumgarten an der March

Baumgarten an der March is a small subdivision of the municipality of Weiden an der March in Lower Austria, Austria. It has only 192 inhabitants.It is a location of the Central European Gas Hub...

 to Arnoldstein

Arnoldstein

Arnoldstein is a market town in the district of Villach-Land in the Austrian state of Carinthia.-Location:Arnoldstein is located at Austria's southern border between the Carnic Alps and the Karawanken mountain range, near the confluence of the Gailitz and the Gail River...

 in the south, near the border with Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

. Natural gas originating from Russia

Russia

Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

 is transported to and used in Italy and Austria. In addition, it supplies Slovenia

Slovenia

Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...

 through the SOL Pipeline System (Süd - Ost - Leitung), which branch-off at Weitendorf

Weitendorf, Styria

Weitendorf is a municipality in the district of Leibnitz in Styria, Austria.Elvis once visited there....

.

Technical features

The pipeline is 380 kilometres (236.1 mi) long. The original two lines date back to the 1960s, but in 2006 the pipeline was extended by adding the third line. The extension cost US$157 million.

The capacity of the pipeline is 41 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas annually. The construction of two additional compression stations will increase the capacity to 47.5 bcm by end 2008.

Pipeline company

The pipeline is managed by Trans Austria Gasleitung GmbH (TAG GmbH), a partnership of Eni

Eni

Eni S.p.A. is an Italian multinational oil and gas company, present in 70 countries, and currently Italy's largest industrial company with a market capitalization of 87.7 billion euros , as of July 24, 2008...

 and OMV

OMV

OMV is Austria's largest oil-producing, refining and gas station operating company with important activities in other Central European countries...

. Eni owns 89% of TAG and manages the pipeline, with OMV holding the remainder.

Antitrust case

Since 2007, the European Commission

European Commission

The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....

 has been probing Eni's alleged restrictive practices on the TAG, Transitgas

Transitgas Pipeline

The Transitgas Pipeline is a long natural gas pipeline in Switzerland, which connects Trans Europa Naturgas Pipeline from Wallbach, Germany, and Gaz de France gas grid from Rodersdorf/Oltingue at the French-Swiss border with the Snam Rete Gas S.p.A...

 and TENP

Trans Europa Naturgas Pipeline

The Trans Europa Naturgas Pipeline is a natural gas pipeline which runs from the German-Netherlands border to the German-Swiss border. It carries North Sea natural gas from the Netherlands to Italy and Switzerland...

pipelines by limiting third parties access to the pipelines. The hearing is set for 27 November 2007. To end the case, Eni is studying the possible sale of the pipeline.