MOSCOW, Jan 6 Underground gas storage in Europe — at the lowest level for many years, But with a moderately cold winter, blue fuel should be enough, according to experts interviewed by RIA Novosti. After a cold, protracted winter and hot summer, Europe took more gas from its storage facilities than usual: in a few months — a record volume since 2011 — 65.6 billion cubic meters ( the selection season only ended at the end of March). 
In Ukraine, Europe was accused of «blows in the gut» from Gazprom Now, after the onset of cold weather, the Europeans began to pump more gas from their storage facilities. Low temperatures spur demand for fuel, on December 21, at the moment the cost of gas futures soared to a historic high of almost $ 2,200 per thousand cubic meters. By the end of 2021, European consumers have already taken more than 45% of the «subways», or almost 22 billion cubic meters of volume of gas injected last year (almost 49 billion cubic meters).
& # 34; Despite the record low level of inventories … they are quite enough to cover the peaks of demand in the first quarter of 2022 & # 34; — says Ekaterina Kolbikova, senior consultant at VYGON Consulting.
Supply disruptions can begin in the event of really severe cold weather, says Dmitry Marinchenko, director of the group for natural resources and commodities at Fitch. «Most likely, in the event of a moderately cold winter, like last year, there will still be enough gas in the storage facilities,» he believes. own gas storage facilities, unlike, for example, Germany and France. In the event of severe cold weather, it will be important not only how much gas is in storage, but also whether exporters (including Russia) will be able to increase pipeline supplies, the Fitch analyst is sure. 
Bloomberg: Europe may remain without gas in two months UGS facilities in Europe are actively used to generate electricity from the main fuel, gas. Demand for it depends on the weather, the main factor that influences the price of gas, recalls Sergey Kolobanov, Deputy Head of the Economy of the Fuel and Energy Complex Sectors of the Central Bank of Russia. And it is precisely this factor that is the worst predicted in the perspective of one to three months. «If there is little gas in storage, it raises concerns about the possibility of future uninterrupted consumption and forces to hedge risks, first of all, by buying gas futures,» he explains. The low level of occupancy of European underground storage makes European consumers worried. It is possible that in winter prices may soar above $ 3,000, analysts previously interviewed by RIA Novosti said. In general, the situation on the gas market in Europe remains difficult: prices are still holding above $ 1,000, European storage facilities are half-empty, winter continues and so far no one can to tell if there is enough gas for consumers. 
The price of gas in Europe has exceeded 1100 dollars per thousand cubic meters