Russia burns gas instead of exporting it to Germany, - BBC
Energy costs in European countries are rising rapidly, and Russia burns large volumes of natural gas.
This is evidenced by the analysis of Rystad Energy, which was accessed by the BBC, Censor.NET reports.
Analysts found that the Gazprom LNG Portovaya plant, located northwest of St. Petersburg near the border with Finland, burns 4.34 million cubic meters of gas at a cost of about $10 million every day.
Gas was supposed to be supplied to Germany via Nord Stream 1, but since mid-July, Russia has significantly limited supplies via this gas pipeline, declaring that it is undergoing repair work.
Flaring of natural gas is common in processing plants, it said, usually for technical or safety reasons. However, even at the beginning of summer, researchers recorded the value of the increase in heat emitted by the plant.
"Although the exact causes of flaring are unknown, the volumes, emissions and location of flaring are a visible reminder of Russia's dominance of Europe's energy markets. There could be no clearer signal: Russia may lower energy prices tomorrow. This is gas that would otherwise be exported by the Northern stream-1" or alternative options," Rystad Energy's Sindre Knutsson told the publication.
Energy prices around the world have risen sharply since the lifting of the quarantine due to COVID-19 and the restoration of the economy to normal mode. Many workplaces, industries, and recreational sites immediately began to demand more energy, putting unprecedented pressure on suppliers.
Prices rose again in February this year, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. European governments have been looking for ways to import less energy from Russia, which previously supplied 40% of the gas used in the EU.
As a result, prices for alternative gas sources have risen, and some EU countries, such as Germany and Spain, are now introducing energy-saving measures.
