HE Russia’s Sabetta port It is literally at the end of the world, about 600 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, where the sun disappears for three months of the year and temperatures rise above 50 degrees below zero. From there they all leave methane tankers is Russian gas supplied to Spain Since the Kremlin decided rape Ukraine and blowing up the European security architecture. HE liquefied natural gas (LNG) Made in Russia, it helped Spaniards and Europeans get through the winter with no power cuts or more shock from the monthly bill. But it has also become an embarrassing subject. SpainAs the country becomes one of the largest World importers of Russian LNG. A trade dominated by a handful of companies that enrich the few oligarchs close to the Kremlin and indirectly feed public vault What Russia funds its war on.
This Purchase of Russian gas is is completely legal. Unlike those in petroleum, diesel or coal, European Union not yet taxed gas sanctions In order not to contribute to the pressure on prices, which increased 10 times last year, and not to take risks. supply security. It is an extremely difficult factor. Companies with contracts in Russia can call “force reason” It’s important to end them. And since the beginning of the invasion, Spain has been one of the war’s best customers. gas industry From the Slavic country.
They Russian LNG imports an increasing 55% in 2022 and continued to grow in the first four months of this year. 58% compared to the same period last year. According to data from the Strategic Reserves Corporation (Cores), these 14 months are almost double compared to the months before the start of the war. “drought and French nuclear park problems forced to increase natural gas consumption. to produce electricMinistry of Ecological Transition resources, specifically to meet the needs of our neighbors Portugal and France,” say, “All this has resulted in such an increase in gas from other countries, such as Russia and the United States. , Russian gas has covered 17% of the supply in Spainonly second Algeria And United States of AmericaBoth with 24%, according to the cumulative data of Enagás up to April.
fifth world importer
in EU only Belgium Globally Spain will import more in 2023 The fifth largest buyer of Russian LNG since the beginning of the occupation, only the second Japan, Belgium, China and France, According to data from the Energy and Clean Air Research Center (CREA). This fact, which disturbs the government, is widely known. However, little is known about which companies import Russian LNG. And it is unknown why gas contracts are confidential and energy companies have no interest in airing their trade relations with Russia. in Spain only enagas And cores They say they know the recipient’s name, but after a long search, EL PERIÓDICO from the Prensa Ibérica group says he knows the recipient’s name. Kpler’s data, After tracking methane tankers arriving in port, he’s one of the few earth advisors trying to find out what the ship is. name of the importing company. It is not always successful, so this newspaper has chosen to publish only the names of energy companies whose imports it can verify or which Kpler has identified with high precision.
Since the occupation began and until the end of April five companies brought Russian gas to Spain, according to these criteria. improvisation LONG main importerMore than half of the gas from Russia Spanish ports. According to the company, the volumes complying with the quantities determined in the Regulation long-term contract signed in 2013 with an international consortium led by Novatek, the largest independent Russian gas producer and started using it in 2018. This contract will not expire until 2041 and foresees the shipment of 37 methane tankers per year to Spain, but according to Kpler data, the company brought 40 ships from Russia last year. “we don’t bring nothing but this contractsubject to compliance clauses. “We’re not profiting from this,” says Naturgy spokesperson Paula Zapata. 3 trillion cubic meters“, a figure that will be equivalent to 53% of all imports from Russia in 2022.
Naturgy, Total and Swiss ‘traders’
Far from Naturgy, its subsidiary in Spain appears. Swiss energy company MetOne of the top 10 gas and electricity marketers in Spain, bringing at least two methane tankers in the 14 months analyzed. “We don’t comment on exactly where we get the gas,” the company says. Also on the list subsidiaries of the other two ‘merchants’ headquartered in Switzerland, dxt And openalso with at least two freight each.
The last actor involved is French. total energy, with a single shipment that reached Spain in May 2022 and was contracted days before the invasion began. “Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Total has not imported gas directly or indirectly from Russia to Spain. one point shipment This was processed before the war,” the company continues. on-site shopping are paid in cash. immediate shipping. According to Kpler data, it is a more opportunistic type of business than the long-term contracts that Met, Dxt and Enet also apply.
Although Brussels has not sanctioned gas, a factor that makes it difficult for companies like Naturgy to terminate their contracts. Ending dependency on Russia He presented a plan for 2027 and days after the invasion. reduce the total Russian gas purchase by two-thirds in 2022. Since that time import per tube It fell because the Kremlin cut off supplies, but increased maritime More than 30%.
partly Belgium, France, Spain and Holland. “HE european market has been very attractive to any LNG supplier and Yamal LNG“Russia’s main supplier to Europe is very close to the continent,” he says. Anne Sophie Corbeau From the Center for Global Energy Policy. “From a purely economic standpoint, it makes sense for companies to buy from a nearby market and sell it in the EU. very high prices“As good a job as Russian gas,” adds Corbeau, an American.
Gas re-export to Europe
Some of these imports have served to bridge gaps in countries that have stopped buying Russian gas by cylinder or have drastically reduced it. Germany, Poland anyone Italy. “More than enough regasification capacitySpain was easier market for importersthen they dedicated themselves to redistribution where it was most needed, especially in northwestern Europe.” Henning Gloystein, Eurasia Group analyst. According to CNMV, Spain Europe’s largest re-gas exporter Last year, mainly to Germany and Italy. increased by 45 percent unprecedented number.
HE Spanish government He has been asking importers to reduce their dependence on Russia for months, and in March he sent them a letter urging them not to sign new contracts or renew existing ones in Russia. “If we want to be consistent, we cannot continue to accept Russian LNG,” the minister told them. Teresa Ribera in the letter, as published by ‘Bloomberg’. enagas, Axpo Iberia and Repsol responded by saying they had not imported from Russia since the beginning of the military aggression.
“you can do positive reading or a critical reading between Spain’s role“, says Gloystein of Eurasia Group. “The positive thing is that Russian gas imports help solve the problem. energy crisis, especially in northern Europe. The downside is that some companies have made a profit while contributing. comes to the Russian government With the taxes Novatek pays in the country,” he adds. Only Spanish importers remained in the Russian economy. €3,489 million Since the beginning of the occupation, according to CREA estimates.