Gas reserves stored in underground facilities across Europe stood at 65.66% as of February 15, totaling 71.15 billion cubic meters, according to statistics from Gas Infrastructure Europe cited by the TASS agency. The level had slipped from about 72 billion cubic meters just a few days earlier on February 13, marking, for the first time in a month, a fall from the winter peak. The record remains tied to the winter of 2020, as reported by the agency.
The heating season began on November 14, and since that start, eurozone nations have withdrawn roughly 37 billion cubic meters from storage. By the end of January, storage facilities across EU member states were 77.06% full. Early February saw an uptick in Gazprom deliveries to EU markets via Ukraine, a movement that coincided with a convergence of Gazprom’s contract prices toward softer spot quotas in Europe, reflecting shifting price dynamics in the regional energy market.
TASS also noted a notable rise in requests for gas transit through Ukraine. The volume of transit applications climbed by about 16 percent, reaching 35.8 million cubic meters, up from 30.8 million cubic meters on February 13. This growth signals ongoing reliance on Ukrainian routes during the winter period and highlights the continuing adjustments in regional gas flows amid evolving supply arrangements.
Reuters reported that Europe faces the challenge of rebuilding a larger gas supply for the coming year compared with the current winter. The anticipated expansion in gas imports raises the likelihood that electricity bills will stay elevated, and governments may need to consider rationing measures that have thus far been avoided. The report did not rule out the possibility of gas rationing should supply constraints persist or tighten in the coming months, underscoring ongoing energy security considerations across the continent.