27 Mar, 10:35

Gas withdrawal from UGS in Europe accelerates again

The heating season in Europe started on October 29, 2024, and lasted for 144 days, during which EU countries withdrew about 74 bcm of gas from UGS facilities

MOSCOW, March 27. /TASS/. Gas extraction from underground storage facilities (UGS) in Europe has accelerated again, according to data from Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE). The rate of withdrawal in March is one third higher than last year's figures.

Gas withdrawal from UGS facilities in EU countries amounted to 201 mln cubic meters (mcm) on March 25, according to GIE. Pumping has declined to 86 mcm. Gas volumes in UGS facilities total 37.4 bcm, which is the sixth-highest level for March since records started.

Last season of gas withdrawal from European UGS facilities ended on March 31, 2024 when they were 58.44% full (a record for the entire period of observations). Now they are 33.72% full (11.5 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, and lasted for 144 days, during which EU countries withdrew about 74 bcm of gas from UGS facilities.

The share of wind generation in the EU’s electricity output averaged 13% in February, and 16% in March. The gas purchase price averaged about $542 per 1,000 cubic meters in Europe in February, and around $469 in March.

LNG have been supplied from terminals to Europe’s gas transport system with record rates this month. Facilities for regasification of liquefied gas and its further pumping into Europe’s pipelines are loaded by 58% of their capacity now.

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