Russian gas giant Gazprom increased its gas production by 17.9% in the first eight months of the year to 337.2 billion cubic meters of gas compared to the same period last year 2020, according to the company on Wednesday.
It also ramped up its domestic supplies from the gas transmission system by 10.9% over the same period this year.
Gazprom is recording near all-time high levels of gas supplies with a 19.4% boost in the January to August period this year.
In the period from January through August 2021, Gazprom increased gas supplies to Turkey by 173.6%, Germany by 39.3%, Italy by 15%, and Romania by 344%.
'Gas supplies to China via the Power of Siberia pipeline continue growing as well. For instance, on August 26, daily supplies topped the absolute record for the fourth time this year, exceeding the daily contractual obligations by more than 5%,' Gazprom said.
According to the association for European natural gas infrastructure, Gas Infrastructure Europe, the level of reserves in Europe’s underground gas storage facilities is at the lowest in many years as of August 30, 2021.
Last year, the withdrawal season at Europe’s underground gas storage facilities (UGS) facilities started on Oct. 12.
The association said that if the current rates of injection persist, about 78 billion cubic meters of gas in these UGS facilities would remain by Oct. 12, meaning that 25% out of the 66.2 billion cubic meters of gas that had been withdrawn in the last season will not be replenished.
At the current rates of injection, Ukraine’s UGS facilities are expected to contain 30% less gas by Oct. 12 versus last year.
By Murat Temizer
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr