Polskie Górnictwo Naftowe i Gazownictwo SA (PGNIG) announces that Gazprom has halted all natural gas supplies under the Yamal contract. The development has no impact on current deliveries to PGNiG’s customers, who are receiving the fuel according to their demand.
Although PGNiG has duly met all its obligations under the Yamal contract, on April 27th 2022 Gazprom halted natural gas supplies it is obliged to deliver according to the contract and PGNiG’s nominations.
PGNiG considers the halt of natural gas supplies a breach of the Yamal contract. PGNiG reserves the right to raise claims in connection with the halt and will use all of its contractual rights and rights under applicable provisions of law.
According to a notification received by PGNiG from Gazprom, gas supplies have been halted by Gazprom in connection with decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 172 of March 31st 2022 on the special procedure for the fulfilment by foreign buyers of obligations to Russian natural gas suppliers.
The decree has led to attempts to make it mandatory for some of Gazprom’s customers to hold settlement accounts in a bank under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation and to make final payments for gas in Russian roubles. Following a thorough analysis of the decree, the PGNiG’s Management Board rejected this payment arrangement as being in contradiction with the Yamal contract and decided to make payments as provided for in the contract.
Despite the supply halt by Gazprom, deliveries to PGNiG’s customers are being made according to their demand.
The progressive diversification of gas supply sources and directions conducted by PGNiG and GAZ-SYSTEM gives PGNiG multiple options to use additional sources of supply to Poland. The Company can source gas from the European Union via interconnectors with Germany and the Czech Republic, and from the global LNG market via the terminal in Świnoujście, whose regasification capacity has been increased this year. An important source of supply is indigenous production, with an additional safeguard being natural gas stocks held in underground gas storage facilities in Poland, which are currently injected and are approximately 80% full.
PGNiG is in constant contact with OGP GAZ-SYSTEM SA and both companies are are monitoring the situation and will keep the market informed.
About PGNiG
Polish Oil and Gas Company (PGNiG) deals with exploration and production of natural gas and crude oil and – through its branches and key companies from the Capital Group – with import, storage, sales, distribution of gaseous and liquid fuels, production of heat and electricity as well as geophysical and drilling services. Its subsidiaries and branches carry out exploration and production activities in Norway, Pakistan and UAE, gas sales in Germany and LNG trading through an office in London.
About Gazprom
Gazprom is a global energy company focused on geological exploration, production, transportation, storage, processing and sales of gas, gas condensate and oil, sales of gas as a vehicle fuel, as well as generation and marketing of heat and electric power.
Gazprom is a reliable supplier of gas to Russian and foreign consumers. The Company owns the world’s largest gas transmission system, the total length of which within the boundaries of Russia reaches 175.2 thousand kilometers. Gazprom sells more than half of its gas to Russian consumers and exports gas to over 30 countries within and beyond the former Soviet Union.