Gazprom’s Gas Exports to Europe Reach 103.6 Bcm in October-March

Between October 2016 and March 2017, Gazprom’s gas transmission system within Russia’s Unified Gas Supply System (UGSS) conveyed 231.2 billion cubic metres of gas, a 7% increase against the previous season, the Russian gas giant said on May 24.

Meanwhile, Gazprom’s gas exports to Europe reached 103.6 billion cubic metres due to a surge in demand for Russian gas, adding 18% versus the October–March period of 2015–2016. For four consecutive months from October 2016 through January 2017, Gazprom set new records for monthly gas exports to that market. In addition, Gazprom hit a record high of 636.4 million cubic metres in daily gas deliveries on January 27, 2017.

The Gazprom Management Committee reviewed the operating results of the Russian company’s subsidiaries and organisations over the 2016–2017 autumn/winter period and discussed the measures to be taken for ensuring an uninterrupted gas supply to consumers in the upcoming winter. "It was noted that in the past winter Gazprom had provided reliable gas deliveries to consumers,” Gazprom said in a press release on May 24.

The reliability of Gazprom’s gas supplies to Russian and foreign consumers can be attributed to, among other things, ample gas reserves in underground gas storage (UGS) facilities and increased deliverability thereof, the press release read.

By the withdrawal season, working gas inventories totaled 72.098 billion cubic metres, with the potential maximum daily deliverability climbing to a record high of 801.3 million cubic metres. During the withdrawal season (from October 2016 through April 2017), some 47 billion cubic metres of gas was offtaken from the UGS facilities, which is the highest figure over the past ten seasons. By the 2017–2018 autumn/winter period, the potential maximum daily deliverability of Russia-based UGS facilities is expected to reach 805.3 million cubic metres, Gazprom said.

In order to ensure the reliable operation of the UGSS in the 2017–2018 autumn/winter period, the Gazprom Management Committee tasked Gazprom’s specialised structural units and subsidiaries with stockpiling at least 72.184 billion cubic metres of working gas inventories in UGS facilities in Russia, 1.09 billion cubic metres in Belarus, and 0.13 billion cubic metres in Armenia by the next withdrawal season.

The Gazprom Management Committee also called for implementing the Basic Guidelines on preparing the facilities of Gazprom’s subsidiaries and organisations for the 2017–2018 autumn/winter period.

Finally, the committee tasked Gazprom’s specialised structural units and subsidiaries with performing scheduled preventive maintenance and repairing at gas production, transmission, underground storage and processing facilities, as well as preparing transportation vehicles and specialised equipment for operation during the winter season.