The price of the nearest (November) futures for TTF on the ICE Futures exchange on Wednesday afternoon reached 161 euros per MWh, or $1,924/1,000 cubic meters, according to exchange data.
Only this morning, the price of November futures topped $1,500/1,000 cubic meters.
All in all, the average value of the day-ahead contract at the TTF hub in the Netherlands, Europe’s main gas platform, was $759/1,000 cubic meters in September.
Europe, with a general shortage of gas supplies (by pipeline and in liquefied form), is being forced to compete for LNG with the premium Asian market.
Gas prices in Europe have recently had had an inextricable impact on Gazprom share prices.
Gazprom is boosting gas pumping via Ukraine’s gas transmission system and is likely to exceed its contract obligations, but it will not be profitable to increase pumping even further, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a meeting on the development of the energy sector.
“We are seeing all kinds of speculation on the topic of Ukraine’s gas transmission system, on supplies through it; I would also like to note that here now. Our contact obligations for supplies through Ukraine’s gas transmission system are 40 billion cubic meters of gas per year, and in 9M this year, Gazprom increased these supplies, this pumping, to be more precise, through the Ukrainian transmission system more than 8%. We can say with confidence that we will exceed our contract obligations for gas supplies through the territory of Ukraine. It is unprofitable for Gazprom to increase them further, because it is more expensive. Pumping through the new systems is significantly cheaper, by around $3 billion per year against corresponding supply volumes,” Putin said.
Gazprom has booked all offered firm additional transit capacities through Ukraine for August, according to the results of the monthly Regional Booking Platform auction.
Gazprom reserved extra capacities for August via RBP on Monday. The Russian gas company requested all of the 15 million cubic meters per day offered. The outcome of the auction was the same in the previous months.
Given that 100% of the offered firm capacities were sold at the auction, an additional one could be announced in the near future, for interruptible capacities, whose fulfilment depends on the technical capabilities of the gas transportation operator. This auction will likely take place on July 27.
Ukrainian gas companies already usually refer to Gazprom’s reluctance to buy non-guaranteed capacities – which are normally offered at a discount – at a guaranteed price as blackmailing Europe. However, the ratio of firm and interruptible gas transportation capacities remains the same at 19% and 81%, respectively.
Although preventive maintenance work is taking place on the Nord Stream and Yamal-Europe Russian export gas pipelines in July, Gazprom declined to increase its booking of Ukrainian gas transportation capacities, offsetting the fall in transit by withdrawing gas from storage facilities in Europe.
Gazprom has a long-term reservation of Ukrainian capacities in the volume of 40 billion cubic meters for 2021, which is equal to 109 mcm per day. With the additional 15 mcm booked at auction, this amounts to 124 mcm per day. The company is pumping 124 mcm per day on average through Ukraine in July, fully using the volume booked.
Gazprom (MOEX: GAZP) has again refused to book additional transit capacity via Ukraine for July despite the upcoming major repairs on export gas pipelines, according to data of the Regional Booking Platform.
Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine LLC on Tuesday put up for auction additional interruptible transit capacities for July totaling 63.7 million cubic meters per day, which were fully unclaimed.
Russia’s state-owned gas company has a long-term booking capacity of 40 billion cubic meters via Ukraine for 2021 at 109 million cubic meters per day, having booked an additional 15 million cubic meters per day at the June 21 auction for a total of 124 million cubic meters per day. Gazprom in June has been pumping an average of 124 million cubic meters per day via Ukraine at the fully booked volume.
When an auction for solid capacities is 100% sold, then an auction for interruptible capacities may be organized depending on the capabilities of the gas transmission system operator.
Gazprom earlier this year did not book interruptible capacities during the auctions held for May and June. However, major repairs are scheduled for July along the concern’s main export trunklines. For example, Nord Stream, which pumps 170 million cubic meters per day, is scheduled for annual maintenance from July 13 to 23; and Yamal-Europe, which pumps around 100 million cubic meters per day, is scheduled for maintenance from July 6 to 10.
The balance of the European gas market is becoming increasingly tense because of the unusual seasonal regularity of falling LNG supplies, and supplies of pipeline gas are decreasing owing to scheduled repairs. Pumping of gas into underground storage facilities is at minimum levels, leaving little doubt that Europe could begin the new winter season with half-empty UGS facilities.
Gazprom has booked the entire additional transit capacity offered via Ukraine for July at June’s volume, according to the monthly auction results on the Regional Booking Platform (RBP).
Gazprom on Monday booked additional transit capacity for July on the RBP, having requested 15 million cubic meters per day of the 15 million cubic meters per day offered, which was slightly less than the 14.2 million cubic meters per day booked at the respective auctions for February, March, and April. The volume was the same as the 15 million cubic meters per day booked for May and June, respectively.
Russia’s state-owned gas company has a long-term booking capacity of 40 billion cubic meters via Ukraine for 2021 at 109 million cubic meters per day, having booked an additional 15 million cubic meters per day at the auction for a total of 124 million cubic meters per day.
Gazprom in June has been pumping an average of 124 million cubic meters per day via Ukraine at the fully booked volume.
Europe at this time has sharply boosted its consumption of the blue fuel. Global supplies of LNG, as well as pipeline gas from Russia, are at their highest, though thus far this has not allowed for starting mass pumping into underground storage facilities in preparation of the upcoming winter.
Ukraine may return to the idea of attracting European and American companies to manage its gas transmission system (GTS), Advisor to the Minister of Energy of Ukraine Lana Zerkal has said, expressing this opinion on the air of ICTV TV channel.
“This may be the same idea that was in 2019 for a joint consortium involving European and American companies to use the Ukrainian pipeline,” the ministry’s press service said, citing her.
According to Zerkal, this step will contribute to the lifting of Gazprom’s export monopoly on gas sales, since European consumers will have access to the GTS, deciding which gas supply route is more profitable for them.
“This is a geopolitical problem and it must be resolved at the geopolitical level using mechanisms inherent in geopolitics. Nord Stream 2 has become a stumbling block for the whole of Europe and for transatlantic relations. This is not only a question of Ukraine. This gas pipe has become an issue and a subject of international negotiations at the highest level,” Zerkal said.
She recalled that with the help of Ukraine’s partners in the European Union, it was already possible to amend the EU Third Gas Directive, which provides for its application to Nord Stream 2.
“It is very important that it be applied in full, because it will make it possible to balance market relations if Nord Stream 2 is nevertheless completed, certified and launched,” she said.
According to her, the EU has tools that can secure Ukraine from the use of Nord Stream 2 in full, leaving the Ukrainian GTS without transit.
“But for this we need to work with the European Commission, as well as with other countries that are also not interested in the launch of Nord Stream 2,” Zerkal said.
