Eni Says Seized Pipeline Safe

 Italian oil and gas major Eni said on Saturday that a pipeline transporting jet fuel from its depot at Civitavecchia to Rome's Fiumicino airport, which was seized by prosecutors after a spill, was safe.

The spill occurred in early November after a double attempted theft. Eni said it had acted quickly to secure the pipeline, contain the spill and prevent it reaching the sea.

"The pipeline in question is in compliance with applicable law and is safe," the company said in a statement.

Eni said it would restore the natural habitat that had been damaged and repopulate the area.

The financial daily Il Sole 24 Ore quoted a Civitavecchia court official as saying the seizure would remain in place until "adequate control systems necessary to prevent further violations are installed". The court could not immediately be reached for comment.

Eni said it was considering all options to ensure a safe supply of fuel to the airport.

The company plans to install a new control system across its entire national fuels network that should allow it to detect leakages and their exact location in real time and quickly communicate any anomalies to the authorities. (Reporting by Agnieszka Flak; Editing by Kevin Liffey