MOSCOW, April 7. /TASS/. Europe has started a period of active pumping of gas into its underground gas storage (UGS) facilities in April after the end of the heating season, according to data provided by Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE). Meanwhile LNG imports by Europe have been at record rates this month following an all-time high of March.
Gas pumping into UGS facilities in EU countries amounted to 250 mln cubic meters (mcm) on April 5, according to GIE. Withdrawal has fallen to 34 mcm. Gas volumes in UGS facilities total 38 bln cubic meters (bcm).
The season of gas withdrawal from European UGS facilities ended on March 28. They are currently 34.76% full (10.74 percentage points lower than the average as of this date in the past five years).
The heating season in Europe started on October 29, 2024, and lasted for 151 days, during which EU countries withdraw over 74 bcm of gas from UGS facilities.
The share of wind generation in the EU’s electricity output averaged 17% in March, and it has been 18% this month. The gas purchase price averaged about $467 per 1,000 cubic meters in Europe in March, and around $449 in April.
LNG has been supplied from terminals to Europe’s gas transport system with record rates in April. Facilities for regasification of liquefied gas and its further pumping into Europe’s pipelines are loaded by 57% of their capacity now.