Romania ends the gas extraction cycle (October 31 – March 31) with a degree of storage filling of 50%, according to the latest data from Gas Infrastructure Europe, the highest percentage ever recorded at the end of the cold season. The EU-wide average is 58%, with a “champion” in Portugal, which has its warehouses 87% full. Large remaining volumes are still in Austria, Spain, Sweden.
This means that about 1.55 billion cubic meters remained in storage. The mild winter and the extremely low industrial consumption meant that not so much gas was consumed, especially since we could also count, as usual, on current production, and imports never stopped, whether based on momentary commercial interests , or on previously concluded contractual obligations.
Most likely, the gas left in storage will remain there until the next cold season, with suppliers paying the storage fee once more. They also have the option of throwing them on the market, but, in the hot season, it is hard to believe that they will have a buyer, because they are already bearing the transit rate, so they are cheaper than what is found on the market.
From Monday, we enter the storage cycle. In fact, already for a week, the storage has started because, in the absence of substantial consumption, the gases enter the warehouses. And for this year, Romania, according to the EU directives, must go to at least 90% degree of storage.
Romania is among the few countries in Europe that can ensure a large part of domestic consumption from its own sources. We have three big producers: Romgaz, Petrom and BSOG, in the Black Sea. We also have gas pipeline connections with all our neighbors, except Serbia, and we can bring imported gas both on the southern route, through Bulgaria, and from the west, through Hungary.
From April 1, according to the director of Transgaz, Ion Sterian, Romania will start transiting large quantities of gas from Turkey to Hungary, with the collection of the related transit tariffs. Turkey and Hungary have an agreement in place for the delivery of 275 million cubic meters annually, with the gas coming through Bulgaria and Romania.
