Gas imports exceed last February’s levels

The volume of natural gas imported to Estonia in February grew by six per cent compared with the same time last year to 61.9 million cubic metres. Imports in January this year also exceeded last year’s levels.

The entire quantity of natural gas imported in January entered Estonia via Karksi, with gas flow rates fluctuating between 1.6 – 2.6 million cubic metres per day. No disruptions in the cross-border supply were reported.

The average price of Gazprom natural gas imported from Russia to Estonia fell by seven per cent in monthly terms and reached 16.44 euros per megawatt-hour, according to estimates by Elering. Similarly to January, February’s average price on Lithuania’s GET Baltic gas exchange was higher, averaging 17.82 euros per megawatt-hour. On the Finnish Kaasupörssi gas exchange, prices were comparable with the previous month, being in the range of 13.50-19.89 euros per megawatt-hour.

Gas sellers imported 5.2 million cubic metres of natural gas from Lithuania in February, accounting for 8.3 per cent of total gas imports. Last month, gas was imported from Lithuania by Baltic Energy Partners, Eesti Energia and Reola Gaas. The remaining gas was imported from Russia by Eesti Gaas.  

The volume of natural gas network services rendered by Elering totalled 61.1 million cubic metres in February. The estimated transmission pipeline gas reserve capacity fell year-on-year by 7.3 per cent to 4.4 million cubic metres. The reserve capacity grew by 17 per cent in comparison with January.

The natural gas transit pipeline passing through south-east Estonia saw 76.2 million cubic metres of natural gas passing through from Latvia to Russia in February. The Inčukalns underground reservoir in Latvia was 38 per cent full at the end of February.