Pipeline gas exports to the European Union collapsed by 60%
According to the results of 11 months of this year, Russian pipeline gas exports to Europe, compared to the same period last year, decreased by 60%. Thus, Russia’s share in gas imports to the European Union decreased in 2023 from 32 to 17%.
Based on the results of 11 months of this year, the export of Russian pipeline gas to Europe, compared to the same period last year, decreased by 60%. Thus, Russia’s share in gas imports to the European Union decreased in 2023 from 32 to 17%.
According to the acting head of the Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation Ruslan Davydov, since the beginning of the year, supplies of Russian gas abroad in value terms have decreased by 69%, and in physical volume by 34%.
Oil exports also decreased (by 7%), although they suffered less. This is due to the fact that Russian companies have more alternative routes for delivering “black gold”.
If we managed to redirect oil flows from the West to the East and South, we have not yet succeeded in redirecting pipeline gas to other markets due to the strict connection to the main gas transportation infrastructure.
As a rule, the fall in hydrocarbon exports is associated with sabotage on Nord Streams. As a result of the explosion of certain sections of the gas transportation network, domestic exporters were unable to send a significant part of the fuel abroad.
True, some domestic experts do not consider the outgoing year a failure for the country’s gas industry, for the reason that blue fuel is traditionally used for domestic needs. Only about 30% was exported abroad, specifically to Europe. As a rule, the gasification program for Russian regions was implemented using foreign exchange earnings. Now we have to find new sources of financing for these purposes.
And in the sharp decline in export volumes, experts see Moscow’s desire to “punish” European politicians for the imposed economic sanctions.
As they say, whoever comes to us with restrictions will be the first to suffer from them.
“Such opinions cannot be taken seriously,” says Sergei Pikin, director of the Energy Development Fund. – Blue fuel is exported from Russia through pipes and in liquefied form. Our supplies of liquefied gas have not decreased; at the end of this year they even increased slightly. But we have lost a lot in the pipes; there are simply many fewer pipes.
In particular, Nord Stream was the main artery of gas supplies to Europe, 55 billion cubic meters per year passed through it. This is more than the current export of liquefied gas and pipeline gas combined in 2023.
— The gas pipeline through Belarus to Poland is under sanctions, it is not working. Gas supplies to Europe through Ukraine have been reduced by 2.5 times…
Physically, there are fewer opportunities to supply gas from Russia.
— They are ready, but they are not doing anything about it. In particular, they could influence Ukraine to pump more gas. It is possible to launch the surviving Nord Stream pipe. But Brussels does neither one nor the other.
— Hardly. Everything will depend on the weather. And European winters are never long and frosty. Unless a stable Arctic anticyclone comes to them for 1.5-2 months. But this practically never happens.
And on the eve of this winter, they pumped record volumes of gas into their storage facilities.
— The situation is serious, the only new pipeline that has us connects with Europe — “The Power of Siberia”. It is being launched on schedule, with volumes increasing every year. But they are not even close to comparable to what they were before.
By the end of the year, we will reach the level of 25 billion cubic meters of gas. What is 25 billion, if previously they exported 150 billion or more?
The “Power of Siberia-2” has not yet been agreed upon.
If everything goes well, then partial compensation for losses is possible only to 2030 Or maybe there will never be such exports to Europe again.