Gazprom discusses gas supply for the autumn/winter period

During a recent meeting, the Gazprom Management Committee examined the Unified Gas Supply System (UGSS) availability for peak loads during the autumn/winter period (2014 - 2015) and addressed steps to be taken over the long term for securing continuous gas supply to consumers during the colder months. During the meeting, it was noted that Gazprom's comprehensive efforts aimed at the preparations for the coming autumn/winter period, which the Hydrometcenter forecasts to be colder than usual, would provide reliable gas supplies to the Russian regions and fulfil contractual obligations to European consumers.

In the course of preparations for winter 2014 - 2015, all 17 scheduled maintenance and repair operations were carried out at the UGSS facilities. In addition,1264.47 km of gas pipelines and 262 gas distribution stations were overhauled, 18 750 km of gas pipelines underwent in-line inspection during the first nine months of the current year, 61 and 863 submerged crossings were repaired and inspected, respectively, and 544 gas compressor units and 32 km of compressor stations piping were subjected to renovation and repair, respectively.

As a result of the active expansion of the underground gas storage (UGS) network, the potential output of domestic Gazprom's UGS facilities hit a record high: the maximum daily output by the withdrawal season increased to 770.4 (42.6 million m³ more compared to last year). The increment of the average daily output is commensurate with the average daily gas consumption during the winter period in some Russian constituent entities, for example, in the Krasnodar Territory or the Orenburg Region.

Efforts are being made towards replenishing the UGS facilities with gas that was withdrawn during the last autumn/winter period, as well as accumulating 71.133 billion m³ of the operating gas reserves of Russian UGS facilities, up 2.116 billion m³ compared to 2013. This will be a record high for Russia's gas industry.

Taking into account the UGS facilities located in Belarus, Gazprom's operating gas reserves will amount to 72.168 billion m³, with the potential maximum daily output of UGS facilities by the withdrawal season start reaching 801.4 million m³ of gas. In addition, in early 2014 Gazprom acquired Gazprom Armenia, the owner of the Abovyan UGS facility featuring the following performances: operating gas reserve – 122 million m³, potential maximum daily output by the withdrawal season – 9 million m³.

Gazprom continues with regular activities for injecting gas into the European UGS facilities, thus giving an additional guarantee to comfortably manage the peak load periods. The company has already injected over 3.8 billion m³ of its gas into the European UGS facilities, compared to the 5 billion m³ that is scheduled. In addition, another 1.8 billion m³ of the company's gas was injected into the Incukalns UGS facility (Latvia), versus 2 billion m³ scheduled.

In the 2014 - 2015 autumn/winter period, the maximum gas output may reach 1.690 billion m³/d. In order to provide for the failsafe operation of gas production companies, 95 comprehensive gas treatment and gas pretreatment units were subjected to full-scope repairs. As of 1 October 2014, 375 field wells were overhauled. In addition, this year a gas site (GP-1) with an annual output of 30 billion m³ of gas, as well as a booster compressor station, are to be commissioned in the Bovanenkovskoye field; booster compressor stations – in the Urengoyskoye field and the Vyngaiakhinskoye gas production facility; 113 wells – in the Bovanenkovskoye, Yamburgskoye, Urengoyskoye, Astrakhanskoye and Kirinskoye fields.

At the same time, successful operation during peak loads will largely depend on maintaining backup fuel (fuel oil, coal, etc.) reserves by consumers, as well as on the regional gas consumption discipline. For this reason, the Management Committee meeting stressed that Gazprom would pay close attention to industrial companies observing the gas payment discipline within the specified limits.

All the planned maintenance and repair activities were completed within the schedule at the key export gas routes, directly connecting Gazprom with consumers – the Yamal, Europe, the Blue Stream and the Nord Stream gas pipelines.

Gazprom's relevant units, heads of subsidiaries and organisations were tasked to commission in due time the major gas production, transmission and underground storage facilities influencing the UGSS operation in the 2014 - 2015 autumn/winter period, complete timely preparation of the UGSS facilities for operation and ensure reliable and sustained functioning of process facilities.

Adapted from press release by Rosalie Starling

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/business-news/21102014/gazprom-management-committee-discusses-gas-supply-for-the-autumn-winter-period-936/