MOSCOW, February 17. /TASS/. Gas reserves in Europe’s underground gas storage (UGS) facilities have fallen below 45%, while withdrawal rates in February have been at the highest level for this month in the past four years, according to data provided by Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE). Meanwhile total gas volumes in UGS facilities are at their fifth-highest level for early February since records started. Europe has withdrawn more than 59 bln cubic meters (bcm) from UGS facilities since the beginning of the heating season.
Gas withdrawal from UGS facilities in EU countries amounted to 678 mln cubic meters (mcm) on February 15, according to GIE. Pumping has risen to 14 mcm. Gas volumes in UGS facilities total 49.5 bcm, which is the fifth-highest level for the beginning of February since records started.
European UGS facilities are currently 44.61% full (9.23 percentage points lower than the average as of this date in the past five years). The heating season in Europe started on October 29, 2024, with EU countries having withdrawn over 59 bcm of gas from UGS facilities since then.
The share of wind generation in the EU’s electricity output averaged 21% in January, and around 12% in February. The gas purchase price averaged $489 per 1,000 cubic meters in Europe in December, about $518 in January, and $583 in February.
LNG supplies from terminals to Europe’s gas transport system have been at a record level this month. Facilities for regasification of liquefied gas and its further pumping into Europe’s pipelines are loaded by 46% of their capacity now.