MOSCOW, December 3. /TASS/. European countries continue spending reserves from their underground gas storage (UGS) facilities, with withdrawal rates having slowed down slightly amid warm weather, according to data provided by Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE). Europe has withdrawn over 12 bln cubic meters (bcm) from UGS facilities since the beginning of the heating season. The gas price on the exchange in Europe is around $520 per 1,000 cubic meters. Meanwhile Gazprom supplies gas for Europe through Ukraine in the volume of 41.3 mln cubic meters per day to the Sudzha gas pumping station in Russia’s Kursk Region.

"Gazprom supplies Russian gas for transit through Ukrainian territory in the volume confirmed by the Ukrainian side via the Sudzha gas pumping station of 41.3 mln cubic meters as of December 3. The request for the Sokhranovka gas pumping station has been rejected," a Gazprom representative told reporters. On the previous day, the pumping equaled 40.8 mln cubic meters.

Gas withdrawal from UGS facilities in EU countries amounted to 391 mln cubic meters on December 1, according to GIE. Meanwhile pumping equaled 30 mln cubic meters. European UGS facilities are currently 85.17% full (2.11 percentage points lower than the average as of this date in the past five years), with 94.5 bln cubic meters of gas stored in them.

The heating season in Europe started on October 29, 2024 (10 days earlier than in the previous autumn-winter season), with EU countries having withdrawn more than 12 bln cubic meters of gas from UGS facilities since then.

The weather in the first week of December in Europe is expected to be relatively warm. The share of wind generation in the EU’s electricity generation increased to 18% in November. The gas purchase price averaged $491 per 1,000 cubic meters in Europe last month.

Overall LNG supplies from terminals to Europe’s gas transport system in November were at the lowest level for this month since 2021. Facilities for regasification of liquefied gas and its further pumping into Europe’s pipelines are loaded by 39% of their capacity now.