Polskie Górnictwo Naftowe i Gazownictwo informed today that the supply of natural gas within the effective Yamal Contract on intersystemic connections in Drozdowicze (Ukraine), Kondratki (Belarus) and Wysokoje (Belarus) is not still being realized in accordance with nominations submitted by the partnership, and the deficit of supply on 10 September 2014 amounted ca. 45 per cent. In order to secure the shortage of supply from eastern direction, PGNiG made a decision about realization of supplementary delivery by points: Lasów (Germany) and Cieszyn (Czech Republic). Except for this, the supply of gas through Mallnow (Germany) point started today.
The reduced supply of natural gas to Poland started from Monday. On 8 September, ca. 20 per cent less gas came from eastern direction. This amount, in turn, increased by ca. 24 per cent in Tuesday. Due to the necessity of changes in a transmission system movement, because of the limitation in supply from eastern direction, it turned out that a temporary retention of manufacturing service’s realization was necessary – that is the supply of gas in Ukraine direction was ceased in Hermanowice point.
The explanation of reasons why the supply of gas from eastern direction decreased is being continued – whether they have a technical or commercial character. To this day, PGNiG has not received any information from Gazprom about the reasons of decrease in supply. At the same time, both PGNiG and GAZ-SYSTEM S.A. placate that the transmission system of gas is currently fully balanced, and gas customers in Poland may sleep soundly – the supply is being realized in accordance with clients’ need.
Energy Regulatory Office informs that although households are the largest group of natural gas suppliers, they jointly buy ca. 30 per cent (54,99 million sq. m). Manufacturing plants, in turn, provide themselves with the greatest amount of fuel (jointly they buy 604,23 million sq. m). Nitric and refinery sectors as well as petrochemical enterprises dominate among them. The gas is also being sold to service companies and those which are engaged in trade (50,05 million sq. m). If Russia ceased the gas supply, undoubtedly the consequences would be felt by everybody, however – as PGNiG convinces – it would be only after few months – stocks aggregated in warehouses would last till then. Is it an optimistic scenario?
Who keeps guard on Polish valves?
PGNiG S.A. enterprise is responsible for the turnover of natural gas in Poland in 98 per cent. Another 2 per cent are several dozen little units which resell natural gas, acquired from PGNiG S.A. to ultimate consumers by local distribution networks.
The transmission activity of gas is being conducted by two entities. Transit Gas Pipeline System EuRoPol-Gaz S.A. (TGPS EuRoPol-Gaz S.A.) is responsible for the flow of natural gas to Germany and two Polish delivery points, located in Włocławek and Lwówek. The partnership uses a Polish section of “Yamal-Europe” transit gas pipeline 685 km in length to this purpose. The second entity – Gas Transmission Operator Gaz-System S.A. (GTO Gaz-System S.A.) manages a domestic industrial system, and networks of high pressure with total length of 9 709 km.
The underground gas warehouses are in a total possession of PGNiG, which facilitates only a certain part of warehouse’s capacity to Gaz-System as an operator of the transmission system. For instance, PGNiG informed couple of days ago that on 4 September of the current year, total fill level of warehouse installations amounted 2,58 billion sq. m, 942 million sq. m of which constituted a compulsory stock of natural gas, available at proper minister for economy. In analogous period last year, the condition of crowded warehouses totaled 1,6 billion sq. m. On 5 September, PGNiG reported about “record amount of gas in Polish warehouses” on its website.
Energy Regulatory Office Newsletter informs that less than 24 per cent of total supply of Poland in natural gas came from domestic sources in 2013. The remaining part is being imported from abroad, mainly from eastern direction, on the basis of the agreement signed in 1996 by PGNiG and Gazprom Export. In 2013, 97,7 TWh of gas were purchased, that is ca. 78,2 per cent of total import of this gas to Poland. The import was being supplied by delivery from the European Union. Their aggregate amount totaled 21,8 per cent of entire importation of gas on Polish territory.