Poland Files Fresh Arbitration Claim Against Gazprom Over Gas Prices

Poland's state-controlled oil and gas firm Polskie Górnictwo Naftowe i Gazownictwo (PGNiG) has announced that it has filed a claim against Russian major Gazprom as well as its export arm Gazprom Export in the Arbitration Court in Stockholm.

In a statement issued on its website on February 2, the company said it had filed the claim as part of the arbitration procedure it initiated on 13 May 2015. The claim seeks to change the price terms of a long-term gas supply contract signed between PGNiG and Gazprom on 25 September 1996.

Citing the need for confidentiality in the arbitration proceedings, PGNiG said it could not disclose the details of the action or the claims it was making against Gazprom. However, it said that the arbitration procedures did not preclude the two sides from entering into commercial negotiations to reach an agreement.

At present, Poland imports the majority of its gas – about 9bn m³/yr – from Gazprom. It also pays one of the highest prices for Russian gas in Europe. Importers may have several contracts with the same seller.

PGNiG has been attempting to reduce the price of the gas it receives from Russia for several years. An earlier arbitration case taken by PGNiG against Gazprom in 2011 resulted in PGNiG receiving a discount of 15% from the Russian supplier.

Neither Gazprom nor Gazprom Export had issued a statement about the case at the time of writing.

Erica Mills