Gas exports from the Russian Federation through pipelines to the EU reached a post-Soviet low

In 2022, the level of export of Russian natural gas to the countries of the European Union by gas pipelines has significantly decreased.  The volume of deliveries reached a minimum since the collapse of the USSR.

This is reported by the Reuters agency , referring to the data of the Russian “Gazprom”  ” and experts’ assessments.

How the volume of exports has changed

According to the calculations of the Russian gas monopolist, the level of supply of “blue fuel” will reach 100.9 billion cubic meters this year.  The indicator is 45% lower compared to 2021 (185.1 billion cubic meters).  Supply to China via the Power of Siberia gas pipeline, which supplied 10.39 billion cubic meters of resource last year, was also taken into account.

The projected level of deliveries to “far abroad” is one of the lowest since 1991.  A similar previous minimum was recorded in 1995 — 117.4 billion cubic meters were sold.  m.

In particular, the volume of direct exports of Russian gas to Germany, Europe’s largest economy, was reduced to zero in September 2022 after explosions on the Nord Stream pipeline in the Baltic Sea.

At the same time, Russia continues to increase sales of liquefied gas by sea.  Its production in January-November increased by 10%, reaching 29.7 million tons.

To a certain extent, the Russian Federation compensated for the decrease in gas imports to Europe with the higher cost of energy carriers, because the budget revenues from oil and gas increased by more than a third in the first 10 months of the year, the agency writes.

What else is known

It will be recalled that the countries of the European Union started the winter heating season with almost full tanks after a huge effort to collect gas from all over the world instead of Russian supplies.  However, the possibility of a sharp cold snap combined with reduced supplies could change the situation.

Earlier in the EU, consumers received record bills for electricity and gas.  Tariffs are sky-high despite the fact that governments allocate money to moderate prices.  The largest monthly increase was recorded in Dublin.  There, electricity tariffs increased by 44%.  In Rome, the average cost of “blue fuel” increased by 97%.

When there will be no excess profits for Russia

The fall of the aggressor country directly depends on how actively the world will refuse raw materials from Russia.  Sanctions deprived the Russian oil and gas industry of future production.  It is expected that in 2023, the embargo will come into force and the income of the Russian Federation will fall by 50%.

Therefore, in the case of the cessation of gas supply to the European market and the gradual decrease in the price of oil on the world market, Russia’s income will be significantly below the critical level and may have a painful impact on the Russian economy.