QatarEnergy has prolonged its force majeure on liquefied natural gas deliveries to Italy, pushing supply disruptions into mid-August and deepening pressure on European gas markets.

Italian utility Edison SpA confirmed that it has been informed of additional cancelled LNG shipments, meaning several cargoes originally scheduled for delivery will not arrive as planned. The latest extension adds five more cancelled cargoes to an already disrupted supply stream.

According to Edison, a total of 17 LNG cargoes destined for Italy’s Adriatic LNG terminal in northern Europe have now been affected since the disruptions began earlier in the year. These interruptions are linked to ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which have complicated energy flows from key exporting regions.

The missing shipments represent around 2.2 billion cubic metres of natural gas under Edison’s long-term contract with QatarEnergy, which supplies about 6.4 billion cubic metres of LNG annually to Italy.

To cushion the impact, Edison has been sourcing replacement volumes from alternative suppliers, particularly the United States. The company said it has already managed to replace a portion of the cancelled cargoes, helping reduce immediate supply risks.

Despite the continued disruptions, Edison stressed that its customers in Italy are not expected to face shortages, as diversified supply arrangements help stabilize deliveries.

The supply shock has, however, affected Edison’s financial performance, contributing to a sharp drop in quarterly operating profit and forcing the company to revise its full-year outlook downward.

Looking ahead, Italy is expected to receive additional LNG supplies from the United States through the Golden Pass export facility, a joint venture involving QatarEnergy and Exxon Mobil Corp, which could help ease pressure on European gas markets in the coming months.