Natural gas managers believe it is "crucial to start injecting gas into European storage facilities as soon as possible."
Piotr Kus, Secretary General of the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG), urged its 25 EU member states to "begin filling natural gas storage facilities as early as April, continue filling through November, and ensure sufficient capacity for the upcoming winter."
The Organization of European Gas Transmission System Operators (ENTSOG) stated on Thursday, April 9, that "it is crucial to store natural gas in Europe as quickly as possible" to prepare for winter, emphasizing that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has reduced gas supply availability and the ability to replenish inventories.
ENTSOG noted that as of April 1, European gas storage levels stood at only 28%, below the levels seen over the past three years, marking the beginning of the injection season. This indicates a need to increase imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to replenish stocks and prepare for the 2026–2027 winter. Piotr Kus, Secretary General of ENTSOG, said: "At a time when global energy markets and supplies are under pressure, Europe’s natural gas storage levels at the start of the summer injection season are significantly lower than those in recent years."
Europe conducts natural gas injection from April to November
Amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, attacks on oil and gas infrastructure in the Gulf region—through which roughly 20% of global LNG trade typically passes—have been disrupted, severely affecting the supply of liquefied natural gas urgently needed by Asia and Europe. As a result, ENTSOG's leadership believes that the network’s 25 European member states should "start storing natural gas as early as April" and "continue storing through November" to ensure adequate winter supply.
European countries are required to raise their stockpiles to 90% before winter begins, but measures adopted by the European Council last summer provide flexibility in both timing and volume. Unlike previous rules requiring completion of injections by November 1, member states can now meet the target anytime between October 1 and December 1. The introduction of a 10% flexibility margin aims to address current challenges in inventory buildup.
In its 2026 Summer Supply Outlook, ENTSOG stated: "Starting from a 28% inventory level on April 1, 2026, the injection and withdrawal capacity of natural gas storage facilities is sufficient to meet demand, and provided adequate gas supply is secured, all EU countries’ inventory levels will exceed 30% by the end of winter." The outlook also includes an overview of the 2026–2027 winter period.
Source: rfi
Original: toutiao.com/article/1862122124592128/
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