MOSCOW, April 22. /TASS/. Daily rates of gas pumping into Europe’s underground gas storage (UGS) facilities have increased to the highest level since last August, while its general value this month has become almost equal to last year’s figures, according to TASS calculations based on data provided by Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE). That said, LNG has been imported by Europe with record rates in April.
Gas pumping into UGS facilities in EU countries amounted to 349 mln cubic meters (mcm) on April 20, according to GIE. Withdrawal has fallen to 11 mcm. Withdrawal in April has been 7% lower than in the previous year, while pumping has been 4% lower. Gas volumes in UGS facilities total 40.5 bln cubic meters (bcm), which is 40% lower than in the previous year.
European UGS facilities are currently 37.04% full (10.6 percentage points lower than the average as of this date in the past five years) compared to 62.2% in the previous year. 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 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 $418 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 56% of their capacity now.