Gazprom warned of difficulties with filling European UGSFs

It will not be easy to reach the optimal level of occupancy of European underground gas storages (UGS) before the new heating season due to politically motivated refusal of Russian gas, informed “Gazprom» in your Telegram channel.

They noted that as of April 16, 2023, the volume of active gas in UGS facilities in Europe amounted to 56.6 billion cubic meters. m, which is 1.4 billion cubic meters. m less than on the same date in 2020. In order to reach the maximum injection level of the 2019/2020 season. (97.6 billion cubic meters), Europe will have to replenish already by 1.4 billion cubic meters. m more.

“It will be very difficult to do this given the politically motivated decisions aimed at refusing to import Russian pipeline gas,” the report says.

Competition for LNG will have a great impact on gas volumes in the European market, Gazprom noted. At the same time, the company added that warm weather in winter allowed the continent to pass the heating season this year, but there are no guarantees of such a gift from nature next winter.

“Under such conditions, replenishing gas reserves in storage facilities to the level of last year may become a non-trivial task for European companies,” Gazprom concluded.

How wrote Earlier, Vedomosti, the minimum level of gas in the storage facilities of the EU countries in the heating season 2022/23 was recorded on March 21 – 60.36 billion cubic meters. m. Then it began to grow, although on some days the net selection continued. Since March 29, there has been a net injection of fuel: by April 1, reserves increased by 34 million cubic meters. m, by April 2 – by 219 million cubic meters. m. At the beginning of April, reserves in European UGS facilities increased to 60.6 billion cubic meters. m, storage facilities are 55.7% full.

European companies managed to maintain a high level of stocks by the end of the heating season due to warm weather, reduced demand from industry and stable LNG supplies. Windy weather in December and January also helped to reduce fuel consumption at TPPs, which increased the production of wind farms in Europe. According to the WindEurope association, in January, wind turbines provided from 16.5 to 35.4% of the EU’s energy balance, compared to about 10% in the summer of 2022.