Media: US “warmed hands” on the energy crisis in Europe

MOSCOW, 26 Sep — PRIME. As of September 21, natural gas reserves in Europe reached an average of 86.67% of capacity utilization, with Portugal, Poland, France, Germany, Denmark and Sweden leading the list with more than 90% reserves, according to the Turkish publication Yeni Şafak, citing data from the European Gas Infrastructure Operators Association (GIE).

According to the information of this organization, as of September 21 of this year, natural gas reserves in the EU countries reached an average of 86.67%.

On March 23, the European Commission decided to increase the reserves of blue fuel in underground storage facilities in the Union states to a level of over 80% by October 1, recalls Yeni Şafak. According to data published on September 21, Portugal reached 100%, Poland – 98.1%, France – 95.9%, Denmark – 94.85%. Gas reserves in Ukraine: 29.41%. As for the UK, which left the EU after a long saga with Brexit, its reserves amounted to 95.52%.

Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Latvia were among the countries with blue fuel reserves of less than 80%.

At the same time, Ukraine’s natural gas reserves are at the level of 29.41%.

The United States exported a record amount of gas in 2021. Until 2000, the United States exported relatively small amounts of natural gas, mostly through pipelines to Mexico and Canada, according to its Energy Information Administration, but since 2000, US gas exports have gradually increased. In 2021, the US exported a record amount of blue fuel to 41 countries.

According to the report on gas exports from the US to the EU, which was presented by the European Commission on January 10, 2022, in order to diversify its energy supply, the EU has gradually increased its imports of LNG from the US.

“The data show that in 2021 LNG exports to the EU reached the highest volumes and amounted to 22 billion cubic meters at an estimated value of 12 billion euros,” the document says.

The EU report also highlights that the global LNG market is becoming increasingly competitive, while also providing an International Energy Agency forecast for the future of the market.

“By 2040, Europe’s LNG imports are expected to increase by almost 20% compared to 2016 levels. The report also draws attention to the fact that the US is the world’s largest gas ‘producer’ and the EU is the world’s largest “consumer” of gas after the United States,” the article emphasizes.

The Turkish edition notes that, according to the EU, Qatar is by far the world’s largest supplier of LNG. Other major suppliers of this fuel include Australia, the United States, Nigeria, Malaysia, Russia and Indonesia. It is emphasized that in the next few years the United States and Australia will significantly increase gas supplies through the commissioning of new facilities.

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