Europe has withdrawn 16 bcm of gas from UGS facilities since start of heating season
European UGS facilities are currently 82.05% full
MOSCOW, December 10. /TASS/. European countries boosted gas withdrawal from their underground gas storage (UGS) facilities in early December, though the current withdrawal rates are among the lowest for this month over the past few years, according to data provided by Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE). Europe has withdrawn around 16 bln cubic meters (bcm) from UGS facilities since the beginning of the heating season. The gas price on the exchange in Europe is around $490 per 1,000 cubic meters. Meanwhile Gazprom supplies gas for Europe through Ukraine in the volume of 42.4 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 42.4 mln cubic meters as of December 10. The request for the Sokhranovka gas pumping station has been rejected," a Gazprom representative told reporters. On the previous day, the pumping also equaled 42.4 mln cubic meters.
Gas withdrawal from UGS facilities in EU countries amounted to 390 mln cubic meters on December 8, according to GIE. Meanwhile pumping equaled 39 mln cubic meters. European UGS facilities are currently 82.05% full (1.98 percentage points lower than the average as of this date in the past five years), with 91.1 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started on October 29, 2024 (10 days earlier than in the previous autumn-winter season), with EU countries having withdrawn around 16 bcm of gas from UGS facilities since then.
The share of wind generation in the EU’s electricity generation has increased to 22% in December. The gas purchase price averaged $491 per 1,000 cubic meters in Europe in November and it has been around $512 in December.
Total LNG supplies from terminals to Europe’s gas transport system in November hit 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.