Europe faces long-term risks to its gas supply due to low injection… (газ · европа · поставка)
Europe faces long-term risks to its gas supply due to low injection rates into underground storage facilities, exacerbated by reduced Russian pipeline gas transit and declining LNG imports, with experts warning of severe impacts on energy-intensive industries like metallurgy and chemicals.
Consensus
- The rate of gas injection into European underground storage facilities is lower than average, creating long-term risks for gas supply.
- Russia's pipeline gas transit to Europe through Ukraine has ceased since early 2025.
- Europe is compensating for the loss of Russian pipeline gas by increasing LNG imports.
- LNG imports to Europe in July 2026 are down approximately a quarter compared to the same period in 2025.
- The average level of gas storage in European underground facilities on July 11, 2026, was 51.84%, which is 15.4 percentage points below the five-year average.
- Energy-intensive industries in Europe, such as metallurgy and chemicals, are suffering due to high energy costs from reduced gas availability.
- Russia continues to supply LNG to parts of Europe, including France, Belgium, Spain, and indirectly Germany.
Points of divergence
- The European power sector is being supported by renewable sources, with wind energy providing an average of 16% of electricity demand since the start of July 2026, up from 12% in July 2025. — interfax
- Russian LNG exports to Europe have increased by 1.5 times since the beginning of the Special Military Operation (SVO), and are expected to be further restricted due to an upcoming ban on Russian LNG imports. — vesti
- The European energy system may only be stabilized by an anomalously warm winter, which would reduce heating demand. — interfax
- A decision has been made to end Russian pipeline gas supplies to Slovakia and Hungary by 2028 due to the EU Commission's ideological stance. — vesti
Coverage (2 sources)
- Weak gas loading in EU storage facilities creates long-term risks for gas supply — Интерфакс
- Expert: Abandoning Russian gas hurts Europe's metallurgy and chemical industry — Вести