Gas reserves in Europe’s underground gas storage (UGS) facilities have fallen to around 56%, while withdrawal rates have dropped by half amid a warm spell in the region, according to data provided by Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE), APA reports citing TASS.
Meanwhile total gas volumes in UGS facilities are still at their fourth-highest level for January since records started. Europe has withdrawn over 46 bln cubic meters (bcm) from UGS facilities since the beginning of the heating season.
Gas withdrawal from UGS facilities in EU countries amounted to 497 mln cubic meters (mcm) on January 25, according to GIE. Total volume of gas in UGS facilities amounts to 62.3 bcm, which is the fourth-highest level for the beginning of January since records started. European UGS facilities are currently 56.11% full (7.75 percentage points lower than the average as of this date in the past five years).
The heating season in Europe started on October 29, 2024 (10 days earlier than in the previous autumn-winter season), with EU countries having withdrawn over 46 bcm of gas from UGS facilities since then.
The share of wind generation in the EU’s electricity generation has equaled an average of 20% in January. The gas purchase price averaged $489 per 1,000 cubic meters in Europe in December and it has been at around $510 in January.
LNG supplies from terminals to Europe’s gas transport system in January have increased compared with December. Facilities for regasification of liquefied gas and its further pumping into Europe’s pipelines are loaded by 40% of their capacity now.
