The share of gas direct imports from Russia dropped to around 60 percent in 2019, from 67 percent in 2018, while LNG imports from other sources increased to around 23 percent of the total, from 20 percent in 2018.
Poland is “bound by the ‘take or pay’ clause” in the contract signed in 2010 with Gazprom for supply of gas through the Yamal pipeline contract, the recently-appointed Chairman of Polish Oil and Gas (PGNIG S.A.) Management Board, Jerzy Kwieciński said. This means the company has to take “a minimum of 8.7 billion cubic meters of gas per year until the end of 2022, when the Yamal contract expires,” Mr. Kwieciński added.
Imported gas shipped into Świnouście in Northern Poland from the US, Qatar and Norway increased by the equivalent of about 0.7 bln cubic meters in 2018. Meanwhile, imports from Russia amounted to 8.95 billion cubic metres in 2019, down from 9.04 billion cubic metres a year earlier.
The very mild winter has been a significant factor in limiting the requirements of gas from Russia and not only Poland has reduced its imports. Overall in Europe there has been a fall in imports this year from Russia, as importers are struggling to store their surpluses, a report in Rzeczpospolita daily informs.
In addition to expanding its LNG portfolio, Polish Oil and Gas is making preparations to start supplies of gas from the Norwegian Continental Shelf, via the Baltic Pipe across the North Sea, Denmark and the Baltic Sea, starting in late 2022, according to the company’s press office.
