MOSCOW, April 18. /TASS/. Total gas reserves in Europe’s underground gas storage (UGS) facilities in April has been 42% lower than in the previous year, while withdrawal from UGS is still higher almost by half, according to TASS calculations based on data provided by Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE). That said, LNG has been imported by Europe with record rates this month.
Gas pumping into UGS facilities in EU countries amounted to 207 mln cubic meters (mcm) on April 16, according to GIE. Withdrawal has fallen to 59 mcm. Withdrawal in April has been 43% higher than in the previous year, while pumping has been 18% lower. Gas volumes in UGS facilities total 39.4 bln cubic meters (bcm).
The heating season in Europe ended on March 28. European UGS facilities are currently 36.09% full (10.89 percentage points lower than the average as of this date in the past five years). The European Commission requests EU countries to make sure that their UGS facilities are 90% full by November 1 of each year for ensuring elevated reserves for the winter period so as to be prepared for interrupted supplies or abnormally cold weather.
The share of wind generation in the EU’s electricity output averaged 17% in March, and it has been 16% this month. The gas purchase price averaged about $467 per 1,000 cubic meters in Europe in March, and around $414 in April.
LNG has been supplied from terminals to Europe’s gas transport system with record rates in April. Facilities for regasification of liquefied gas and its further pumping into Europe’s pipelines are loaded by 54% of their capacity now.