FACTBOX: European gas stocks and how long they may last
(Reuters) - A huge drop in Russian gas exports to Europe since January 2 has forced many countries to start draining reserves, which ranged from 69 to 81 percent full on January 5, according to data from gas storage operators.
But many countries can meet most of their normal winter for gas this month with gas in storage.
Some, like Germany cannot meet peak winter demand with storage alone, but many including Germany and France, get gas from other suppliers like Norway so would not need to cover all their gas needs with storage even if all flows from Russia stopped.
Following are details on the extent of gas storage capacity in several European countries.
The data comes from the International Energy Agency and Gas Storage Europe, an umbrella group of commercial gas storage operators.
Up to date stock level data is not available for all countries, because GSE groups smaller countries together and the latest levels can be seen here:
Where there are discrepancies between IEA and GSE data averages of the two have been used or ranges given.
Please note: Daily peak delivery capacity figures represent the maximum amount of gas that could be taken out of a country's storage facility when it is full.
As stock levels fall, the rate at which the remaining gas can be withdrawn falls because of lower pressure in the storage site.
As such, the figure given for the number of days that gas reserves can be drained at full flow is a minimum period. In
reality the stocks would last longer but the amount of fuel that could be extracted each day would also decrease.
AUSTRIA
Stock capacity *: 4,020 million cubic meters (mcm)
Capacity for Austrian use *: 2,120 mcm
Daily peak delivery capacity for Austria: 25 mcm
January 2006 consumption: 42 mcm/day
Max pct of daily demand that can be met by storage: 60 pct
Time taken to empty storage at max flow from full: 85 days
Time to empty storage from 70 pct full (max flow): 60 days
BULGARIA
Stock capacity: 350 mcm
Daily peak delivery capacity: 3.4 mcm
Typical January consumption: 12 mcm/day
Max pct of daily demand that can be met by storage: 28 pct
Time taken to empty storage at max flow from full: 103 days
Time to empty storage from 70 pct full (max flow): 72 days
CZECH REPUBLIC
Stock capacity: 2,320 mcm
Daily peak delivery capacity: 40 mcm
Typical January consumption: NA
Time taken to empty storage at max flow from full: 58 days
Time to empty storage from 70 pct full (max flow): 40 days
FRANCE
Stock capacity: 11,400 mcm
Daily peak delivery capacity: 200 mcm
January 2006 consumption: 226 mcm/day
Max pct of daily demand that can be met by stores: 88 pct
Time taken to empty storage at max flow from full: 57 days
Time to empty storage from 70 pct full (max flow): 40 days
GERMANY
Stock capacity: 18,700 mcm
Daily peak delivery capacity: 295 mcm (GSE) - 460 mcm (IEA)
Typical January consumption: 516 mcm/day
Max pct of daily demand that can be met by stores: 57-90 pct
Time to empty storage at max flow from full: 40-63 days
Time to empty storage from 70 pct full(max flow): 28-44 days
HUNGARY
Stock capacity: 3,720 mcm
Daily peak delivery capacity: 60 mcm
Average daily consumption in January 2006: 70 mcm/day
Max pct of daily demand that can be met by storage: 85 pct
Time to empty storage at max flow from full: 62 days
Time to empty storage from 70 pct full (max flow): 43 days
ITALY
Stock capacity: 13,500 mcm **
Daily peak delivery capacity: 253 mcm (GSE) - 300 mcm (IEA)
January 2006 consumption: 387 mcm/day
Max pct of daily demand that can be met by stores: 65-78 pct
Time to empty storage at max flow from full: 45-53 days
Time to empty storage from 70 pct (max flow): 28-44 days
POLAND
Stock capacity: 1,640 mcm
Daily peak delivery capacity: 20 mcm (IEA) to 34 mcm (GSE)
Average January consumption: 71 mcm/day
Max pct of daily demand that can be met by stores: 28-48 pct
Time to empty storage at max flow from full: 48-82 days
Time to empty storage from 70 pct (max flow): 34-57 days
SLOVAKIA
Stock capacity: 2,600 mcm
Daily peak delivery capacity: 34 mcm
Typical January consumption: 32 mcm/day
Max pct of daily demand that can be met by stores: 106 pct
Time to empty storage at max flow from full: 76 days
Time to empty storage from 70 pct (max flow): 53 days
TURKEY
Stock capacity: 3,000 mcm
Daily peak delivery capacity: 18 mcm
January 2008 consumption: 116 mcm/day
Max pct of daily demand that can be met by stores: 15 pct
Time to empty storage at max flow from full: 166 days
Time to empty storage from 70 pct (max flow): 116 days
* Some storage capacity in Austria is not for use in Austria and serves neighboring countries in the Baumgarten gas hub.
** 5.1 billion cubic meters of Italian gas stocks are strategic reserves which need government approval to be withdrawn.
(Source: Reuters calculations, IEA and Gas Storage Europe)
(Reporting by Daniel Fineren and Muriel Boselli)
