EGF Gazprom Monitor, Issue 100, September 2019

A Snapshot of Key Developments in the External Relations of the Russian Gas Sector

By Dr Jack Sharples, EGF Associate Researcher on the External Dimensions of Russian Gas and Research Fellow on the Natural Gas Research Programme, Oxford Institute for Energy Studies

Key points:

• Main story: Court of Justice of the EU rules on Gazprom's utilisation of the OPAL pipeline
• Gazprom on the European market: First anniversary of Gazprom's Electronic Sales Platform
• Ukraine: Naftogaz buys gas for Q1 2020 delivery as Ukrainian storage levels continue to rise; Gazprom CEO briefs President Putin on winter preparations; Ukrainian government approves unbundling of Ukrainian pipeline system from Naftogaz; EU, Russia, Ukraine trilateral gas talks held in Brussels
• Nord Stream: Nord Stream 2 AG continues legal challenge to EU Gas Directive amendment under Energy Charter Treaty
• Southern Corridor: Bulgaria awards construction contract for "Balkan Stream" as onward extension of Turkish Stream; Bulgartransgaz plans south-to-north gas flows from Turkey to Romania;
• Asia: Novatek reaches FID on Arctic LNG 2 as the company develops its ability to ship LNG to Asia