Europe, with the corresponding climate norm, is rapidly depleting gas reserves from underground storage facilities (UGF) and already in January completely uses up the reserves made for the current winter season, reports "Gazprom". At the same time, it will be difficult for Europe to fill its underground gas storage facilities in the summer and prepare for the winter.
According to Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE), to which the holding refers, on February 28, the last day of the calendar winter, 39.2 billion cubic meters of gas remained in European underground gas storage facilities. This is 38.5% of the storage volume and 24.3 billion cubic meters. m less than a year ago.
The average rate of gas production from Europe in the current autumn-winter period is 36% higher than last season and 22% higher than the average for the previous 10 years, notes "Gazprom". Moreover, the reserves that the countries of the region had made for this winter were completely used up in January. As of February 28, 58 billion cubic meters of gas had been withdrawn from European underground gas storage facilities.
„Thus, Europe will approach the start of the gas injection season with visibly empty storage facilities. Given the reduction in reliable sources of gas supply, it will be difficult to fill European underground gas storage facilities this summer and prepare thoroughly for the winter, Gazprom believes.
The Russian company also admits that gas production from European underground gas storage facilities during the current heating season, after the end of the calendar winter, may exceed the maximum values of previous years. Thus, the withdrawal season from underground gas storage facilities in Europe after February 28 lasted from 19 to 51 days in the previous 10 years, during which from 1.8 to 11.2 billion cubic meters of gas were withdrawn from the storage facilities.
In addition, in February an absolute record of monthly gas consumption was recorded in Turkey - over 8 billion cubic meters. "According to Botas' statements, in February Turkey also updated the record for daily gas consumption twice and reached a figure of 333.7 million cubic meters", Gazprom emphasized. Also, according to the holding's calculations, based on data from the Turkish EPIAS exchange, in the period November-February gas consumption in Turkey was a record and exceeded 30 million cubic meters.