Germany cuts its gas imports by 32.6% in 2023, mainly as it saved on energy and exported less after Russia cut off westbound shipments the previous year, the energy regulator said on Jan. 4.
Germany was formerly a major customer of Russian pipeline gas but, after the onset of the war in Ukraine, from late 2022 it started building floating terminals to import LNG from the global market to complement pipelines.
The Bundesnetzagentur agency, in a statement using preliminary supply data, said that Germany imported 968 terawatt hours (TWh) of natural gas in 2023. Of that, 43% came from Norway, 26% from the Netherlands and 22% from Belgium.
The remainder was from overseas or elsewhere in Europe.
Gas exports from Germany to its neighbors, formerly a logical consequence of its abundant Russian import influx via Ukraine and the Baltic Sea and role as an onward distributor inside Europe, fell by 63% last year.
The 187 TWh of recorded 2023 exports, down from 499 TWh a year earlier, were mostly sent to the Czech Republic, Austria and the Netherlands.
Savings efforts and mild weather curbed national gas consumption in 2023 by 5% to 810 TWh.
Industry made more active savings in its processes while households saved less because more of their consumption of hot water and cooking gas is static.
Gas supply is comfortable right now, the regulator stated.
"Storage caverns are currently 91% filled. That is a very good basis for the remaining winter months," it said.
The slump in Russian energy exports to Europe in 2022 initially triggered sharp energy price rallies but savings and alternatives helped curb prices last year.
The benchmark day-ahead gas price fell by 68% year-on-year to 41 euros ($44.90) per megawatt hour (MWh) in 2023, and currently hovers just over 30 euros.
Recommended Reading
SM Energy Offers Senior Notes to Help Fund $2B XCL Resources’ Deal
2024-07-18 - SM Energy said it intends to use the net proceeds from the notes to fund its pending $2.04 billion purchase of XCL Resources.
Crescent, SilverBow Expect Eagle Ford Merger to Close July 30
2024-07-18 - Crescent Energy and SilverBow Resources expect their combination in the Eagle Ford Shale to close July 30.
WoodMac: Are MidEast, Asia NOCs Poised For M&A Resurgence?
2024-07-18 - International M&A spend by national oil companies (NOCs) has dwindled from nearly 50% to less than 5% today. But Wood Mackenzie researchers see NOCs playing a larger role in international M&A in the future.
Marketed: Delaware Basin AFE Interests Divestiture
2024-07-17 - Armstrong Energy Corp. and Slash Exploration have retained RedOaks Energy Advisors for a sale of certain wellbore-only AFE interests located in Lea County, New Mexico.
Diamondback’s Van’t Hof Plays Coy on Potential Delaware Divestiture
2024-05-16 - Diamondback Energy’s President and CFO Kaes Van't Hof also addressed new Permian exploration and the lack of “fun” dealing with the FTC on its deal to buy Endeavor Energy Resources.