MOSCOW - The gap between the Italian market's request for Russian gas and actual gas supplies on Wednesday stood at 10% (10.9 million cubic meters, against a request for 107.1 million cu m), Italian gas transport operator Snam Rete Gas reported.
On Tuesday, the gap was 13%, and on Monday – 14%.
Italy receives Russian gas by transit through Ukraine. On Wednesday, Russian gas major Gazprom issued two press releases regarding the situation with gas supplies to southern Europe.
Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller held a working meeting on issues related to Russian gas transport through Ukraine given the abnormally cold weather. "Special attention was given to ensuring uninterrupted Russian gas transit through Ukrainian territory to European consumers," one of the statements said. At the end of the meeting, Miller received the head of Ukraine’s national oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy, Yevhen Bakulin.
Gazprom also distributed Miller’s commentary that "this abnormally cold winter, which has caused a sharp growth in demand for Russian gas in Europe, is another confirmation that South Stream must be and will be built. Europe needs new corridors for supplying Russian gas without transit middlemen."
Gazprom previously said that Ukraine had boosted its gas selection to 60 billion cu m in annual terms due to the extreme cold, which corresponds to 160 million cu m per day.
