MOSCOW, October 14. /TASS/. Net gas injection (the difference between injection and withdrawal volumes) by EU countries into underground gas storage (UGS) facilities since the start of the summer season in April 2026 has exceeded 50 billion cubic meters (bcm), according to TASS calculations based on data from Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE).
Consequently, Europe has so far managed to inject only 74% of the volumes required for the upcoming winter into its UGS facilities.
While the average rate of gas injection into EU storage facilities in October remains the highest seen in four years, Europe has already missed the summer months that are most favorable for stockpiling.
As of October 12, European UGS facilities were 73.94% full (14.91 percentage points below the five-year average for this date), compared to 83.2% a year earlier. This remains the lowest level for this date since records began in 2011. EU storage facilities hold approximately 80.8 bcm of gas - 11 bcm less than last year's levels and the lowest volume since 2013. Gazprom previously forecast that gas stocks in European UGS facilities might not even reach 75%, warning that the region faces a difficult autumn-winter season.
Earlier TASS reported that Europe risks starting the heating season with record-low gas stocks. By the traditional start of the autumn-winter period, EU countries may fill their storage facilities to only 70-75% capacity, marking an all-time low for the beginning of the heating season.
Under European Commission requirements, EU nations must ensure their gas storage facilities are 90% full between October 1 and December 1 each year. A 10% margin of flexibility is permitted in the event of challenging filling conditions. Consequently, net injections into European storage facilities must total at least 68 bcm by the start of the 2026-2027 autumn-winter season to meet the filling target. However, anticipating a very mild winter, the European Commission is prepared to lower this threshold to 80% for the current year.