Page 7 - FSUOGM Week 31 2022

FSUOGM PIPELINES & TRANSPORT FSUOGM

Bulgaria is short of 40% of natural gas

needed for winter season

BULGARIA BULGARIA is short of 40% of the natural gas it Hypothetically it is possible that they amend
would need for the winter season, despite the for- their conditions. We have [last spoken] several
The government has mer government of Kiril Petkov having secured weeks ago, the conversation went positively. We
faced criticism for seven tankers of liquefied natural gas (LNG), have explained our concerns, the other party
opting against paying the head of state-owned gas supplier Bulgargaz, [Gazprom] said they were groundless. We have
for Russian gas in Georgi Topchiyski, said in an interview for Nova sent them additionally as a document for addi-
rubles. TV on August 3. tional agreement but we do not have a response,”
Bulgaria has been receiving most of its nat- Topchiyski said.
ural gas from Gazprom, but the Russian com- He added that he does not exclude the possi-
pany stopped its deliveries at the end of April as bility for Bulgaria to agree paying in rubles if it
Petkov’s government had refused to start paying gets guarantees that would not bear any risk. This
in rubles. Meanwhile, Petkov’s government has was seen as a clear signal that the caretaker gov-
secured the delivery of 1bn cubic metres of nat- ernment has been picked by President Rumen
ural gas from Azerbaijan to start being delivered Radev, among other things, to try to return Bul-
before the completion of the Greece-Bulgaria garia back to the Russian orbit of influence. It is
gas link, but that is just one third of the country’s not yet clear whether this will succeed.
annual consumption. Meanwhile, Bulgargaz is seeking a 60%
The tankers, secured by Petkov during his hike of the price of natural gas for August. The
visit in the US, would be supplied if the caretaker state energy and water regulation commission,
government of Prime Minister Gulub Donev KEVR, should decide on this request by August
that took office on August 2 secures free slots for 12.
unloading them. At the same time, KEVR’s head, Ivan Ivanov,
Topchiyski said also that the natural gas will said he does not think that the country will start
be enough for users on the regulated market and buying again gas from Gazprom, as the Euro-
50% of the amount needed for business on the pean Union is already going to a different direc-
free market. tion, aiming to achieve energy independence
He added that for the moment only the sup- within two years.
ply of the first of the seven US tankers is certain, Also on August 3, Iskren Mitov of Change
as a free slot had been secured for October. The Continues – the party of former prime minister
company is looking for slots for November and Petkov and of former finance minister Assen
December, which would be the hardest months, Vassilev – said he expects that the caretaker
as at this time the demand for free slots for government will attempt to compromise all
unloading is high, Topchiyski said. efforts of Petkov’s government to secure natu-
He added that Bulgaria can secure the miss- ral gas for the winter and will try to bring Gaz-
ing 40% from other supplies. Bulgargaz has prom back.
already asked for offers for seven more tankers He added that Bulgaria would have a short-
from European and US companies. The prices age of gas for the winter if it does not put into
would be similar to those of Gazprom or slightly operation the interconnector with Greece or if
higher. it terminates the contract with Azerbaijan. The
The second option is if the country resolves its other two options would be if the caretaker gov-
dispute with Gazprom on the payment and the ernment fails to secure slots for unloading the
Russian company unfreezes the deliveries. seven tankers with US LNG or if the Chiren gas
‘This is a case that is not completely closed. storage is not full enough. ™

Week 31 05•August•2022 www. NEWSBASE .com P7