Gazprom nears record Jan-Jul pipeline exports
Russian pipeline gas export monopoly Gazprom sold 115.3bn m³ to countries outside Russia and the former Soviet Union in the first seven months of the year, its export arm said August 4. The increase year-on-year is 23.2%, or 21.7bn m³, it said.
This increase comes despite its continuing refusal this year not to book incremental monthly capacity through Ukraine and the attraction of the record prices seen at European gas hubs.
Whereas last year Gazprom contracted to supply 65bn m³ through Ukraine in equal monthly batches, for 2021-24 inclusive the transit agreement of 2019 fixes the minimum at 4obn m³/yr. Other routes Gazprom may use include Poland through the Yamal pipeline; the Baltic Sea through Nord Stream 1, and the Black Sea through Blue Stream and TurkStream.
Gazprom’s deliveries are still short of the historical record for the seven-month period, set in 2018, when it sent 117.1bn m³ west or south to Turkey.
Without providing year on year volume data it said sales to Turkey were up by 203.9%; to Germany by 42.2%; Italy by 16.2%; Romania by 318.3%; Poland by 14.6%; Serbia by 118.1%; Bulgaria by 47%; France by 6%; and Greece by 18.8%. The exports to China through the Power of Siberia pipeline also continue growing, it said.
According to preliminary data, in January-July, Gazprom’s gas production reached 298.2bn m³. This is up 18.4%, or 46.4bn m³, more than in Jan-Jul 2020.