Page 9 - EurOil Week 43 2021

EurOil PIPELINES & TRANSPORT EurOil

PGNiG takes aim at Nord Stream 2

EUROPE PGNIG has submitted its case against the certi- 2 to increase gas supplies to the EU member
fication of Nord Stream 2’s operator to the Ger- states,” he said.
The Polish company man energy ministry, arguing that the pipeline While Nord Stream 2 is technically ready to
argues that the will undermine European energy security. flow gas, it cannot be commercially launched
pipeline’s operator The Polish state-owned gas company said that until its operator is certified as independent
should not be certified Nord Stream 2 did not increase Europe’s access under EU energy market rules, even though it is
as independent. to gas, but simply bypassed traditional supply a 100% subsidiary of Russia’s Gazprom. The Ger-
routes through Ukraine and Poland. man government has said it will hear comments
“The current situation on the EU gas from neighbouring countries on Nord Stream 2’s
market proves the scale of the risks for secu- impact on the gas market.
rity of supplies created by the Nord Stream In addition to PGNiG, Ukraine’s Naftogaz has
2 project,” PGNiG CEO Pawel Majewski also said it wants to have its say on Nord Stream
commented. “Suggestions that additional 2’s certification.
gas supplies are possible only through Nord “We aim to demonstrate to the German reg-
Stream 2 are the manifestation of pressure ulator that certification of Nord Stream 2 oper-
on the certification procedure and prove that ator would significantly harm competition on
the project is aimed at bypassing the tradi- the German market, as well as on the markets
tional transit routes.” of Slovakia, Hungary, the Czech Republic and
As long as existing import pipelines have Austria,” Naftogaz CEO Yuriy Vitrenko said in
spare capacity, “there is no need for Nord Stream a statement. ™

Spanish gas importers see Algerian gas

supplies via GME stopping by November 1

ALGERIA SPANISH gas importers are reportedly expect- agreement has also sparked worries in Morocco,
ing Algeria to stop delivering natural gas via the which has been receiving a portion of the Alge-
Algeries broke off Gaz-Maghreb-Europe (GME) pipeline by the rian gas pumped through its section of GME.
relations with Rabat beginning of November. Officials in Rabat have said they are exploring
in September after a According to data published last week by various options to meet the country’s energy
diplomatic dispute. Enagas (Spain), gas importers have taken note of needs in the absence of Algerian deliveries,
Algeria’s decision not to renew its 25-year transit including the construction of new gas storage
agreement with neighbouring Morocco, which facilities and the reversal of the Moroccan por-
is due to expire on October 31. As such, they tion of the GME pipeline to facilitate imports of
have placed no orders (also known as “nomina- gas from other regions.
tions”) to reserve capacity in the GME pipeline Questions about the fate of Algerian gas ship-
after November 1. ments to Spain have been mounting since late
Algeria remains Spain’s largest single source September, when Algiers broke off relations with
of gas, accounting roughly 30% of all supplies in Rabat following a diplomatic dispute over the US
the Iberian country. As such, Algiers’ decision government’s recognition of Moroccan sover-
not to continue gas deliveries to the Moroccan eignty over Western Sahara. US authorities took
market has sparked concern in Madrid and this step with the aim of rewarding Morocco
heightened worries about pan-European gas for its recognition of the state of Israel. These
shortages. Algerian officials have said, though, developments have met with a chilly reception
that gas will continue flowing to Spain, either in Algeria, which has hosted Western Sahara’s
through the Medgaz pipeline or via direct tanker Polisario independence movement in the past,
shipments of LNG. and Algiers has been accusing Rabat of hostile
The upcoming lapse of the 25-year transit actions ever since. ™

Week 43 28•October•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P9