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(Gazprom) has increased exports to its main customers in Europe, as well as Turkey and China, last year. However, flows have remained below pre-pandemic levels due to limited supplies to the European Union (EU) as a whole in recent months, Bloomberg reported, citing a company statement.
Russian gas giant has delivered 185.1 billion cubic meters to customers outside the former Soviet Union, according to CEO Alexei Miller. This is 3.2% above the levels of 2020, but less than in 2018 and 2019, when about 200 billion cubic meters were delivered
Daily exports in December, when the peak demand season begins, averaged 439 million cubic meters – the lowest level for this month since 2014, according to Bloomberg estimates.
Gazprom’s exports are being closely monitored, as limited supplies to Europe have led to record price increases. With the onset of winter, the region remains with dangerously low reserves, and the Russian company sends only as much gas to EU customers as it is obliged to under long-term contracts, and has not offered spot freight for months.
It is not clear why Gazprom does not offer spot gas to Europe. European officials say it is a pressure tool to speed up approval of the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
Gazprom does not break down data on exports by country, which makes it difficult to estimate 2021 flows to individual markets. Miller says the biggest supply growth is for Europe’s leading customers – Germany, Turkey and Italy. Flows to China exceed Gazprom’s contractual obligations in 2021, according to Alexei Miller.
Gazprom’s gas production in 2021 reaches 514.8 billion cubic meters ., the highest since 2008. Daily production in December averaged 1.523 billion cubic meters – the highest for this month since 2013.
As exports for most EU countries is limited in December, most of the additional gas remains in Russia. As temperatures drop, supplies to local customers rose to 1.656 billion cubic meters a day at the end of December, Gazprom data show.
To meet demand , the company said withdrawals from local underground storage facilities have reached a five-year high. Russia can afford to draw record quantities from its reserves, as Gazprom filled local facilities with record amounts of gas by November.
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