Gazprom to bring Russian gas storages’ capacities to new record-high levels by next winter

The Gazprom Management Committee reviewed the operating results of the Gazprom Group entities and organizations for the 2022–2023 autumn/winter period and the measures to be taken for ensuring uninterrupted gas supplies to consumers in the 2023–2024 autumn/winter period.

It was noted that during the past autumn/winter period Gazprom, as in previous years, provided Russian consumers with reliable and uninterrupted gas supplies. Particular attention was paid to gas deliveries for socially significant facilities, public utility enterprises and the population.

In general, during the heating season, the ambient air temperature in the area covered by Russia's Unified Gas Supply System (UGSS) stayed within the climate normal.

There was a sharp drop in air temperatures in the first ten days of January 2023, with the lowest average daily temperature recorded in that period being abnormally low at minus 21.2 degrees Celsius, which is 12.4 degrees below the climate normal for said month. On January 9, daily withdrawal of gas in the area covered by the UGSS reached a near-record high level of 1.782 billion cubic meters. This amount is comparable, for instance, to monthly gas consumption during severe cold periods in such areas as the Samara Region or the Republic of Bashkortostan. On January 10, the peak daily deliverability of Russia's UGS facilities amounted to 634.6 million cubic meters, which is one of the highest deliverability figures over the past ten years.

According to preliminary data, the total volume of domestic gas supplies delivered via Gazprom's gas transmission system in the period from October through March is commensurate with the record-high level of supplies that was observed in the 2021–2022 season.

Gas exports were carried out in accordance with confirmed requests. It should be noted that daily exports of Russian gas to China via the Power of Siberia gas trunkline were in excess of the daily contractual obligations on some days in December, January and March.

Underground gas storages play a long-established and important role in maintaining a reliable performance in the cold period. Gazprom consistently expands its gas storage capacities. By the beginning of the 2022–2023 withdrawal period, Russia's UGS facilities set another record for the national gas industry by attaining 72.662 billion cubic meters of working gas inventories and the potential maximum daily deliverability of 852.4 million cubic meters.

In order to ensure the reliable operation of the UGSS in the 2023–2024 autumn/winter period, the Management Committee tasked the specialized structural units and subsidiaries to:

• by the new withdrawal season, stockpile 72.842 billion cubic meters of working gas inventories in UGS facilities in Russia and increase their potential maximum daily deliverability to 858.8 million cubic meters, therefore reaching new record-highs. The working gas inventories will amount to 1.13 billion cubic meters in the Republic of Belarus (the maximum amount for said country) and 0.107 billion cubic meters in the Republic of Armenia;
• develop the Basic Guidelines on preparing the facilities of Gazprom's entities and organizations for the 2023–2024 autumn/winter period;
• in line with the developed schedule, perform scheduled preventive maintenance and repairs at gas production, transmission, underground storage and processing facilities, provide for the implementation of the planned investment projects, and prepare transport and specialized equipment for operation during the winter season.