[NEWS] Russian gas keeps flowing to EU via Ukraine despite fighting

[BrasSmonkey]

Intense fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces near a pipeline Russia uses to supply European countries with gas has not disrupted supplies, network operators and gas companies said on Tuesday (13 August).

The European Union drastically reduced its reliance on Russian gas after the Ukraine war began in 2022, leaving Austria the EU country most reliant on Russian supplies.

“We are not aware of any pressure fluctuations, all nominations are going according to plan and there are no indications of any irregularities,” Gas Connect Austria spokesperson Armin Teichert said.

Russia’s Gazprom also said on Tuesday it was still pumping gas to Ukraine through Sudzha, just over the border from Ukraine.

It was unclear which side was in control of the Russian town of Sudzha, through which Russia pumps gas from Western Siberia through Ukraine and on to Slovakia and other European Union countries.

“From today’s perspective, no supply problems are expected in Austria, as storage levels are high and Russian gas could be substituted via Germany or Italy. However, if supply were to be interrupted immediately, Austria would be burdened economically, in particular by the German gas storage levy,” a statement from Austrian energy regulator E-Control said.

A levy on German gas storage has been increasing since 2022 which makes Austrian gas imports via Germany around three times more expensive than those via Slovakia, analysts at Kpler Insight said.

An Austrian energy ministry source told Reuters that it has been taking action to reduce dependency on Russian gas in the long run over the past two years.

“As long as there is a dependency on Russian gas supplies, there is a massive risk of a corresponding supply failure with far-reaching consequences,” the source added.

Most recipients of gas via Ukraine have said they have been preparing for the stoppage of flows at the end of this year anyway when a transit deal between Ukraine and Russia expires as Ukraine has said it does not want to renew it.

Eight entry points connect Ukraine with Slovakia, Poland, Romania and Hungary, through which Russian flows can reach the EU. Currently, two are used – at Polish and Slovakian interconnection points – and then the volumes can be transmitted to other countries in central and eastern Europe, according to Kpler Insight analysts.

They estimate that Slovakia’s implied use of Ukrainian flows were nearly 80% in 2023.

“This dependency could increase if inflows from Hungary decrease and a cold winter occurs as no Russian gas would be available for refilling storage levels,” they said.

Slovak gas company SPP said it has been preparing for the risk of a halt in Russian gas supply for several years and has commercial contracts in place with non-Russian suppliers.

Hungary gets around 1 billion cubic metres of Russian gas a year via a pipeline from Austria and a spokesperson at the Hungarian pipeline operator said gas was still flowing.

https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy ... -fighting/

[snooper]

European countries still buying Russian gas after all the sanctions?

[BrasSmonkey]

European countries still buying Russian gas after all the sanctions?

yup!

[pokerking]

We ship LNG to Europe to make up for the Russian gas they used to buy

[BrasSmonkey]

We ship LNG to Europe to make up for the Russian gas they used to buy

yaw bomb and shoot each other and keep biz slowing!

[tacnet]

There's still a few countries like Hungary and Austria that were given an exepmtion from the sanctions but its a drop in the ocean compared to what Europe used to buy

Putin is having to sell most of his gas to China at around half the price that Europe was paying. China made sure of that

[BrasSmonkey]

There's still a few countries like Hungary and Austria that were given an exepmtion from the sanctions but its a drop in the ocean compared to what Europe used to buy

Putin is having to sell most of his gas to China at around half the price that Europe was paying. China made sure of that

where is the proof???

[TheButcher]

Germany went from being the powerhouse economy of Europe to a mess, they need cheap russian gas or more factories and businesses will close. The sanctions didn't affect Russia it ruined Europe. It made Russia more self reliant and find new markets.

[BrasSmonkey]

Germany went from being the powerhouse economy of Europe to a mess, they need cheap russian gas or more factories and businesses will close. The sanctions didn't affect Russia it ruined Europe. It made Russia more self reliant and find new markets.

it forced them to china!

[TheButcher]

Germany went from being the powerhouse economy of Europe to a mess, they need cheap russian gas or more factories and businesses will close. The sanctions didn't affect Russia it ruined Europe. It made Russia more self reliant and find new markets.

it forced them to china!

It sure did and those two were never the best of friend's. Successive US administrations knew that playing them against each other was the best thing for America. Now they are joined at the hip.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend" went the other way round. Now that they are doing BRICS it makes it even more difficult to break their bond. It is not good news for us.

[Gaming_Mike]

India buys it resells for a profit

[tacnet]

Germany went from being the powerhouse economy of Europe to a mess, they need cheap russian gas or more factories and businesses will close. The sanctions didn't affect Russia it ruined Europe. It made Russia more self reliant and find new markets.

it forced them to china!

It sure did and those two were never the best of friend's. Successive US administrations knew that playing them against each other was the best thing for America. Now they are joined at the hip.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend" went the other way round. Now that they are doing BRICS it makes it even more difficult to break their bond. It is not good news for us.

Why do you think pretty much every country in Europe is standing up against Russia ??? Even though it has meant great pain for our economies and we have had to completely restructure our oil and gas supplies ??

You cant honestly believe that we have all done this simply because Biden told us to ?

We have done this because we had no choice. We see the threat that Putin poses and this is the logical step before all out war. We can no longer tolerate someone like Putin having his hand round our throat and being able to squeeze whenever he likes. Now the tables have turned, its China who has Putin by the balls and as much as Putin doesn't like it, he has become their lap dog. China doesn't need Russia but Russia needs China.

Thats why China has refused military support and why their big 4 banks are now refusing to do business with Russian companies.

[ispdn]

Gas is much cleaner than coal so it is better for the air quality we breath.

[calista]

have sanctions killed the Russian economy

[trafficseller]

"Money never sleeps" Businesses make money during war and peace that is how the world turns.