MOSCOW, May 23. /TASS/. Gazprom is supplying gas to Europe through Ukraine in the volume of 41.2 mln cubic meters per day via the Sudzha gas pumping station. The application for deliveries through Sokhanovka was rejected by the Ukrainian side, a Gazprom representative told reporters on Tuesday.
"Gazprom is supplying Russian gas for transit through the territory of Ukraine in the amount confirmed by the Ukrainian side via the Sudzha gas pumping station, [amounting to] 41.2 mln cubic meters on May 22. The application for deliveries through Sokhanovka was rejected," the company’s representative said.
The day before, the pumping volume reached 40.9 mln cubic meters.
Earlier reports with reference to data released on the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine website said that Russian gas transit through Ukrainian territory might total 41.2 mln cubic meters on May 23.
The transit line through Ukraine remains the only route for Russian gas supplies to the countries of Western and Central Europe. Pumping through the Nord Stream has been completely stopped. Gas supplies via Turkish Stream and Blue Stream are intended for Turkey and the countries of Southern and South-Eastern Europe.
On May 10, the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine said it would shut down gas transit to Europe via the Sokhranovka station starting May 11 due to force majeure as the company allegedly could not control the Novopskov gas compressor station in the Lugansk Region. As a result, transportation requests would be rejected, and gas wouldn’t be accepted.
However, the Russian gas holding did not see any grounds for the suspension of pumping under the previous arrangement, noting that it did not receive any confirmation of any force majeure circumstances. The company added that it was technically impossible to shift all transit volumes to another interconnection point, the Sudzha gas distribution station in Russia’s Kursk Region.
European gas market
On May 21, gas withdrawal from UGS facilities in the EU countries amounted to 5 mln cubic meters, according to Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE). At the same time, the injection volume reached 456 mln cubic meters.
On April 6, the gas withdrawal season from European underground storage facilities came to an end. A mild winter greatly aided the passage of Europe's heating season.
UGS facilities in Europe are currently loaded to 65.93% (18.57 percentage points higher than the five-year average) and they hold 72 bln cubic meters of gas.
The current European week is expected to be much warmer than the previous one. The air temperature in practically all EU countries is forecast to be normal for the climate. In May, the average percentage of EU electricity output from wind was roughly 15%.
LNG imports from terminals into Europe's gas transmission system reached an all-time high of 12.07 bln cubic meters in April, according to data from the European Union. In May, Europe continues to see record LNG flows. The capability of liquefied gas regasification and injection into European pipelines now reached 63% of its maximum. At the same time, the average European gas purchase price in May declined to $386 per 1,000 cubic meters.