Between October 2016 and March 2017, Gazprom’s gas transmission
system within Russia’s Unified Gas Supply System (UGSS) conveyed 231.2
billion cubic metres of gas, a 7% increase against the previous season,
the Russian gas giant said on May 24.
Meanwhile, Gazprom’s gas exports to Europe reached 103.6 billion
cubic metres due to a surge in demand for Russian gas, adding 18% versus
the October–March period of 2015–2016. For four consecutive months from
October 2016 through January 2017, Gazprom set new records for monthly
gas exports to that market. In addition, Gazprom hit a record high of
636.4 million cubic metres in daily gas deliveries on January 27, 2017.
The Gazprom Management Committee reviewed the operating results of
the Russian company’s subsidiaries and organisations over the 2016–2017
autumn/winter period and discussed the measures to be taken for ensuring
an uninterrupted gas supply to consumers in the upcoming winter. “It
was noted that in the past winter Gazprom had provided reliable gas
deliveries to consumers,” Gazprom said in a press release on May 24.
The reliability of Gazprom’s gas supplies to Russian and foreign
consumers can be attributed to, among other things, ample gas reserves
in underground gas storage (UGS) facilities and increased deliverability
thereof, the press release read.
By the withdrawal season, working gas inventories totaled 72.098
billion cubic metres, with the potential maximum daily deliverability
climbing to a record high of 801.3 million cubic metres. During the
withdrawal season (from October 2016 through April 2017), some 47
billion cubic metres of gas was offtaken from the UGS facilities, which
is the highest figure over the past ten seasons. By the 2017–2018
autumn/winter period, the potential maximum daily deliverability of
Russia-based UGS facilities is expected to reach 805.3 million cubic
metres, Gazprom said.
In order to ensure the reliable operation of the UGSS in the
2017–2018 autumn/winter period, the Gazprom Management Committee tasked
Gazprom’s specialised structural units and subsidiaries with stockpiling
at least 72.184 billion cubic metres of working gas inventories in UGS
facilities in Russia, 1.09 billion cubic metres in Belarus, and 0.13
billion cubic metres in Armenia by the next withdrawal season.
The Gazprom Management Committee also called for implementing the
Basic Guidelines on preparing the facilities of Gazprom’s subsidiaries
and organisations for the 2017–2018 autumn/winter period.
Finally, the committee tasked Gazprom’s specialised structural units
and subsidiaries with performing scheduled preventive maintenance and
repairing at gas production, transmission, underground storage and
processing facilities, as well as preparing transportation vehicles and
specialised equipment for operation during the winter season.
https://www.neweurope.eu/article/gazproms-gas-exports-europe-reach-103-6-bcm-october-march/