Gazprom plans to increase gas transit through Ukraine. According to operators, additional volumes will go to Slovakia. Deliveries of Russian fuel are growing, as prices fell in February, and demand increased due to cold weather.
According to the GTS Operator of Ukraine, on February 15, the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine will increase to 35.8 million cubic meters per day. Such an application was approved at the point “Sudzha” on the border of Russia and Ukraine.
The day before, transit through Ukraine amounted to 30.8 million cubic meters. And even earlier, in the second half of January, Gazprom’s supplies dropped below 25 million cubic meters per day, but in February they began to recover.
Alexei Grivach, Deputy Director of the National Energy Security Fund (NESF) , noted to EADaily that demand for gas increased in Europe due to cold weather, and contract prices for Russian gas decreased in February. They are pegged to exchange quotations for deliveries a month in advance, which in December were about $1,200 per thousand cubic meters, and in January – $800.
The same situation with warming and prices occurred in Europe last year.
Before the December-January warming, Ukrainian transit remained at the level of 43 million cubic meters per day. Ukraine closed the intake of Russian gas at the Sokhranivka border crossing point in May, and 72 million cubic meters were contracted from Gazprom through the Sudzha. However, Gazprom has not used them in full since June last year, but pays for all contracted volumes – $ 2.28 million per month.
France, Germany and the Netherlands have not received Russian gas since autumn. Judging by the data of the platform of the EU GTS operators ENTSOG, through Ukraine, Gazprom supplies to Moldova (Transnistria), Slovakia, Austria and Italy. The Austrian OMV stated that they receive all volumes under the Austrian contract, but nothing under the German one.
According to the Slovak operator Eustream, the growth of Gazprom’s deliveries will come from Slovakia. 30 million cubic meters will go there. Of these, about 22 million cubic meters will be delivered to Austria as a standard, and then part to Italy. And in Slovakia itself, there will be 5 million cubic meters more gas than a day earlier. The operator indicates that domestic consumption will increase by 50% – up to 15 million cubic meters.
source: eadaily