Gazprom’s UGSFs in Europe start to empty out.

Despite the growth in Russian gas supplies to Europe, the stocks in the underground gas storage facilities (UGS) of Gazprom are not only not increasing, but even decreasing, according to News.ru.

The filling level of the company's own storage facilities in Europe remains three times lower than the EU average.

The largest underground gas storage facilities of Gazprom in Germany and Austria have not switched to the intensive injection mode. Initially, Gazprom was supposed to intensify pumping into European UGS facilities from November 8, immediately after filling the Russian storage facilities. However, according to European UGS operators, the EU's average storage level is 75.3% and the withdrawal period has already begun.

Low stocks in UGS facilities are associated, among other things, with the August accident in Novy Urengoy. After the Russian monopoly lost part of its production capacity, the volume of pumped through Poland via the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline was also reduced. To fulfill the contracts, the company had to raise reserves from UGS facilities at the very peak of the injection season.

Gazprom explained that they continue to pump gas into five European UGS facilities, and the indicators do not give an objective picture, since not only Gazprom stores gas there. At the same time, filling Gazprom's storage facilities at least up to 80%, comparable to the EU average, is practically impossible this year. To do this, it is necessary to pump about 5 billion cubic meters of gas, making the most of the capacity of the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline. In addition, it will be difficult for the company itself to cover daily peaks in consumption under its contracts.

Earlier, Gazprom filed applications for the maximum volume of gas transit through Ukraine. It should amount to 109.3 million cubic meters. m per day. In total, these declared capacities practically reach their maximum under the current long-term transit agreement, which involves pumping about 109.5 million cubic meters per day.

To recap, Gazprom announced it would overfulfill the plan for transit through Ukraine.

Earlier, Lukashenko threatened to cut off the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline: the EU reacted.

Read also: Krutikhin told whether Lukashenko will be able to cut off gas to Europe.

Tags: UGSF, gas exports, heating season, Putin, stocks, Ukraine, pipeline, gas supplies, volumes, natural gas, Belarus, Europe

Read also

An Eye for an Eye: Ukrainian Power Engineers Demand Compensation from Russians for Destroyed Property
The Security Service of Ukraine issues suspicion notice to Russian billionaire for exporting raw materials for Rosatom from Ukraine.
ZELENSKY: Russian authorities are planning to blow up the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant to destabilize Ukraine