Spanish Gas Use Hits 5-Year High

Spanish gas consumption reached its highest daily level for almost five years on January 18, as cold weather pushed that day's gas use to 1.5021 terawatt-hours (140mn m³) of gas – exceeding this winter’s previous record set December 14 of 1.445 TWh (134mn m³) – and the highest daily level since February 2012, according to Spanish gas grid operator Enagas January 19.

Use by homes, businesses and industry reached 1.2292 TWh January 18 – the fourth largest daily value exceeded only on February 3, 8 and 13, 2012 – while power generators burned 0.2729 TWh, with gas used in response to the dearth of hydro-electricity supplies.

Enagas said that Spain’s state meteorological agency is predicting more low temperatures in the coming days across the country, which might well mean new records soon.

Spain has six LNG terminals in operation. Enagas wholly owns and operates three, including Huelva above, and part-owns two others. (Photo credit: Enagas)

The gas grid operator said that Spain's gas storage facilities and LNG terminals worked well, with the latter “also providing flexibility as, in a scenario of higher demand and lower imports from Algeria, they are enabling LNG to be received from other sources.”

Algerian LNG and piped gas accounted for 57% of Spanish gas supplies in 2016.

It's been reported that Algeria's LNG exports have fallen in recent weeks because of production problems at liquefaction plants there, particularly Skikda, which have reduced Algerian cargo deliveries not just to Spain but also southern France, and even Greece and Turkey. 

Mark Smedley