MOSCOW, August 9 The events in the Sudzha area of the Kursk region have led to a sharp jump in prices for natural and liquefied gas, Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov wrote on the company's Telegram channel, asking who might benefit from this.
“On August 9, the annual peak of stock prices was recorded. And it’s only summer. The question arises: who benefits from this?” — says the comment.
The largest exporter of liquefied natural gas in the world at the end of 2023 was the United States (86 million tons), Qatar and Australia (approximately 80 million tons each).
Kuprianov added that planned maintenance work could also be a significant factor at gas facilities in Norway. Gazprom analysts do not rule out that they may be delayed, as happened last year.
““Analysts also believe that the upward trend in gas prices will continue,” concluded a company representative.
Gazprom supplies gas for transit to Europe through Ukraine via the Sudzha gas metering station. This route is currently the only one to the West. Last year, Gazprom supplied about 14.9 billion cubic meters via it, which, according to Eurostat, is about 4.5% of EU consumption. Since the beginning of the year, pumping has remained above 40 million cubic meters per day, but on August 7 it dropped to 39.4 million cubic meters, and on August 8 to 37.3 million cubic meters.
Exchange gas prices in Europe have begun to rise amid concerns about the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine. Following Thursday's trading on the London ICE exchange, the price rose by almost five percent, to $455 per thousand cubic meters.
The market's concerns were caused by the Ukrainian Armed Forces' attempt to seize a section of the Sudzhansky District of the Kursk Region. As Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov reported to President Vladimir Putin, the military stopped the advance of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the operation will end with the defeat of the enemy and reaching the state border.