A threat to our gas supplies may be here soon!

Jacqui D · 01-01-2009, 06:50 PM

Russia shuts off gas to Ukraine

Much of the EU's gas from Russia arrives via Ukraine
Russia has stopped all gas supplies to Ukraine after the collapse of talks to end a row over unpaid bills and prices.

Russia's gas giant Gazprom said it turned off the taps at 0700 GMT, when its contract to supply Ukraine ended.

Ukraine insists it has paid off its debts to Gazprom, but Russia contests this. The two countries have also failed to agree on a price for 2009.

The EU urged Russia and Ukraine to resume negotiations and not to let the dispute disrupt supplies to Europe.

A similar row between Gazprom and Ukraine at the beginning of 2006 led to gas shortages in several EU countries.

Pipes across Ukraine carry about a fifth of the EU's gas needs.

Europe's gas pipeline network

Enlarge Map

The new holders of the EU presidency, the Czech Republic, urged the parties to "rapidly reach a successful outcome" to their dispute.

"All existing commitments to supply and transit must be honoured," it added.

Both Russia and Ukraine insist that gas supplies transported via Ukraine to the European Union will continue as normal.

By Thursday evening there were no reports in other countries of reduced supplies.

An official at Gazprom's headquarters in Moscow said: "We have fully cut off supplies to Ukraine as of 10am (0700 GMT) today."

"Usually we supply 390 million cubic metres per day, of which 300 million is transit gas for Europe. Today supplies are running at 300 million cubic metres. We continue supplying Europe in full," Reuters quoted him as saying.

Ukraine's state energy firm Naftogaz confirmed that supplies had dropped off steadily, and said it would start pumping gas from its reserves.

Ukraine says it has built up enough reserves to see it through the next few months.

'Eager for conflict'

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said he was hopeful that negotiations on a new contract would be completed by 7 January, and that the sides were "close to a compromise".

But there was no sign of similar sentiments in Moscow.

"The debt to Gazprom for gas supplied earlier was not paid. Despite verbal statements from Kiev, Gazprom did not see any money in its account," Gazprom's chief executive Alexei Miller said.

They have a right to cut the supply if money is not paid. This is the rule of the free market economy

Vladimir, Kiev, Ukraine

Read some of your emails

He criticised Ukraine's stance during the negotiations as "unconstructive", and said Gazprom had no legal reason to continue supplying gas to Ukraine.

Mr Miller said the contract to supply gas depended on the full settlement of £2bn in gas bills and late-payment fines levied by Gazprom.

He also suggested that Kiev was seeking to provoke a wider dispute, saying he was "forming the impression that there are political forces in Ukraine which are very eager to see a gas conflict between our two countries".

Gazprom's Alexei Miller said he blamed Ukraine entirely for the situation

Naftogaz said it has paid $1.5bn (£1bn) in outstanding bills to RosUkrEnergo - a Switzerland-registered gas trading company which is acting as an intermediary - but not the fines imposed by Gazprom.

Gazprom is the world's largest gas producer and supplies a quarter of the European Union's gas needs - and 42% of its imports. Most of that is transported via Ukraine.

Russia's Vladimir Putin had earlier warned Ukraine not to disrupt the transit of gas to Europe.

He warned of "very severe consequences" for Ukraine in terms of its relations with both Russia and European countries.

Mr Putin said Gazprom had been generous in offering Ukraine a price of $250 per 1,000 cubic metres of gas in 2009, given that the price in Europe was currently more than $500.

He said he understood that Ukraine was in "a difficult economic situation" which was worse than Russia's, but put the dispute down to a "war of the clans" between the Ukrainian Prime Minister, Yulia Tymoshenko, and President Viktor Yushchenko.

burgundia · 01-01-2009, 07:03 PM

The amount of gas to western Europe has just been limited by Ukraine.

Jacqui D · 01-01-2009, 07:12 PM

Yes for now!

Carol · 01-01-2009, 07:45 PM

This is pretty understandable. Create a shortage and the prices go up.

Dantheman62 · 01-03-2009, 04:25 PM

KIEV, Ukraine – A senior Ukrainian official says European consumers will see serious natural gas shortages in only two weeks if Moscow and Kiev don't solve their dispute over gas supplies.

Bohdan Sokolovsky's statement raises the stakes in an escalating row between the two neighbors.

Russia cut off gas supplies to Ukraine on New Year's Day after the two countries failed to resolve payment issues or agree on a price contract for 2009.

Most Russian gas bound for Europe travels through Ukraine.

Sokolovsky said Saturday even though Ukraine will continue shipping Russian gas intended for Europe, disruptions in supplies will occur in the next 10 to 15 days if Ukraine's gas is not shipped along with it.

He said the pipelines require a minimum amount of gas to avoid an automatic shutdown.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090103/...ia_ukraine_gas

Jacqui D · 01-03-2009, 04:42 PM

Maybe you have noticed this already those in the Uk i mean, the gas supply has been cut at certain times during the day especially peak time between 5pm -7pm.
You will see the pressure down to an other time of the day.
I have no doubt that our supplies will be less in fact maybe cut altogether.
Whilst France has a reserve or 122 days, Germany has around 80 to 90 days and the Uk has only 15 days reserve.

We sell our gas reserves off cheaper in the summer to who ever wants to buy then we have to buy back in the winter for an extortionate fee because we have no where to store it.
Because we do not actually own anything anymore we are in a catch 22 situation.
Who's to blame!!! Well the government.

golden lady · 01-04-2009, 05:55 PM

Thanks Jacqui D, it's funny you should mention this, family and I were recently talking about the strong winds here in the UK, back in 87, with little or no utilities and at how difficult it was to get camping gas etc. I have also had a nagging in my head over the last few days to order more wood; get more camping gas, supplies, candles, matches and the like. Have also thought about a dutch oven for cooking over an open fire.
Better get a move on, just in case.
Kind regards
Golden

Dantheman62 · 01-04-2009, 05:59 PM

MOSCOW (AP) -- Russia's state-controlled gas company said Sunday that it was hiking the price it wants Ukraine to pay for natural gas, hardening its position in a dispute that has decreased supplies to Europe.

Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said that the company wanted $450 per 1,000 cubic meters, up from its last offer of $418.

Ukraine's state gas company accused Gazprom of being unwilling to seek a compromise and said any price increase should be accompanied by a similar hike in the fee Ukraine gets from Russia to move gas through its pipelines on to European customers.

Gazprom has continued to send gas to Europe, which relies on the Russian company for a quarter of its gas. But 80 percent of the gas Gazprom sends west passes through the same pipelines that supply Ukraine, and over the past four days the pressure in the pipelines has dropped. Some European countries -- Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Romania -- have reported a decline in supplies. Ukraine has said it has sufficient gas reserves to meet its needs for weeks.

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/090104/eu_ru...raine_gas.html

Jacqui D · 01-04-2009, 06:25 PM

Yes i would definately consider some form of cooking facility other than hob, oven. Even if you have a coal bar b que this still could be used to cook on in a dior situation.
Camping stoves are great but with all this news filtering through it will not be long before people start realising this and these items will be bought up i can guarantee that.
I'm off to get one myself tomorrow, yes and stock up on those candles as well.

01-01-2009, 06:50 PM	#1
Jacqui D Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Kent,England Posts: 1,267	A threat to our gas supplies may be here soon! Russia shuts off gas to Ukraine Much of the EU's gas from Russia arrives via Ukraine Russia has stopped all gas supplies to Ukraine after the collapse of talks to end a row over unpaid bills and prices. Russia's gas giant Gazprom said it turned off the taps at 0700 GMT, when its contract to supply Ukraine ended. Ukraine insists it has paid off its debts to Gazprom, but Russia contests this. The two countries have also failed to agree on a price for 2009. The EU urged Russia and Ukraine to resume negotiations and not to let the dispute disrupt supplies to Europe. A similar row between Gazprom and Ukraine at the beginning of 2006 led to gas shortages in several EU countries. Pipes across Ukraine carry about a fifth of the EU's gas needs. Europe's gas pipeline network Enlarge Map The new holders of the EU presidency, the Czech Republic, urged the parties to "rapidly reach a successful outcome" to their dispute. "All existing commitments to supply and transit must be honoured," it added. Both Russia and Ukraine insist that gas supplies transported via Ukraine to the European Union will continue as normal. By Thursday evening there were no reports in other countries of reduced supplies. An official at Gazprom's headquarters in Moscow said: "We have fully cut off supplies to Ukraine as of 10am (0700 GMT) today." "Usually we supply 390 million cubic metres per day, of which 300 million is transit gas for Europe. Today supplies are running at 300 million cubic metres. We continue supplying Europe in full," Reuters quoted him as saying. Ukraine's state energy firm Naftogaz confirmed that supplies had dropped off steadily, and said it would start pumping gas from its reserves. Ukraine says it has built up enough reserves to see it through the next few months. 'Eager for conflict' Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said he was hopeful that negotiations on a new contract would be completed by 7 January, and that the sides were "close to a compromise". But there was no sign of similar sentiments in Moscow. "The debt to Gazprom for gas supplied earlier was not paid. Despite verbal statements from Kiev, Gazprom did not see any money in its account," Gazprom's chief executive Alexei Miller said. They have a right to cut the supply if money is not paid. This is the rule of the free market economy Vladimir, Kiev, Ukraine Read some of your emails He criticised Ukraine's stance during the negotiations as "unconstructive", and said Gazprom had no legal reason to continue supplying gas to Ukraine. Mr Miller said the contract to supply gas depended on the full settlement of £2bn in gas bills and late-payment fines levied by Gazprom. He also suggested that Kiev was seeking to provoke a wider dispute, saying he was "forming the impression that there are political forces in Ukraine which are very eager to see a gas conflict between our two countries". Gazprom's Alexei Miller said he blamed Ukraine entirely for the situation Naftogaz said it has paid $1.5bn (£1bn) in outstanding bills to RosUkrEnergo - a Switzerland-registered gas trading company which is acting as an intermediary - but not the fines imposed by Gazprom. Gazprom is the world's largest gas producer and supplies a quarter of the European Union's gas needs - and 42% of its imports. Most of that is transported via Ukraine. Russia's Vladimir Putin had earlier warned Ukraine not to disrupt the transit of gas to Europe. He warned of "very severe consequences" for Ukraine in terms of its relations with both Russia and European countries. Mr Putin said Gazprom had been generous in offering Ukraine a price of $250 per 1,000 cubic metres of gas in 2009, given that the price in Europe was currently more than $500. He said he understood that Ukraine was in "a difficult economic situation" which was worse than Russia's, but put the dispute down to a "war of the clans" between the Ukrainian Prime Minister, Yulia Tymoshenko, and President Viktor Yushchenko.

01-01-2009, 07:03 PM	#2
burgundia Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Poland Posts: 3,442	Re: A threat to our gas supplies may be here soon! The amount of gas to western Europe has just been limited by Ukraine.

01-01-2009, 07:12 PM	#3
Jacqui D Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Kent,England Posts: 1,267	Re: A threat to our gas supplies may be here soon! Yes for now!

01-01-2009, 07:45 PM	#4
Carol Project Avalon Hero Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Big Island, Hawaii Posts: 2,008	Re: A threat to our gas supplies may be here soon! This is pretty understandable. Create a shortage and the prices go up. __________________ Aloha, thank you, do jeh, toda, arigato, merci, grazie, salamat po, gracias, tack, sukria, danke schoen, kiitos, dank u, mahalo nui loa Images to nourish the spirit: http://mistsofavalon.invisionplus.ne...&showtopic=198

01-03-2009, 04:25 PM	#5
Dantheman62 Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: So. Cal. U.S. Posts: 4,205	Re: A threat to our gas supplies may be here soon! KIEV, Ukraine – A senior Ukrainian official says European consumers will see serious natural gas shortages in only two weeks if Moscow and Kiev don't solve their dispute over gas supplies. Bohdan Sokolovsky's statement raises the stakes in an escalating row between the two neighbors. Russia cut off gas supplies to Ukraine on New Year's Day after the two countries failed to resolve payment issues or agree on a price contract for 2009. Most Russian gas bound for Europe travels through Ukraine. Sokolovsky said Saturday even though Ukraine will continue shipping Russian gas intended for Europe, disruptions in supplies will occur in the next 10 to 15 days if Ukraine's gas is not shipped along with it. He said the pipelines require a minimum amount of gas to avoid an automatic shutdown. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090103/...ia_ukraine_gas

01-03-2009, 04:42 PM	#6
Jacqui D Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Kent,England Posts: 1,267	Re: A threat to our gas supplies may be here soon! Maybe you have noticed this already those in the Uk i mean, the gas supply has been cut at certain times during the day especially peak time between 5pm -7pm. You will see the pressure down to an other time of the day. I have no doubt that our supplies will be less in fact maybe cut altogether. Whilst France has a reserve or 122 days, Germany has around 80 to 90 days and the Uk has only 15 days reserve. We sell our gas reserves off cheaper in the summer to who ever wants to buy then we have to buy back in the winter for an extortionate fee because we have no where to store it. Because we do not actually own anything anymore we are in a catch 22 situation. Who's to blame!!! Well the government.

01-04-2009, 05:55 PM	#7
golden lady Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: UK. Posts: 37	Re: A threat to our gas supplies may be here soon! Thanks Jacqui D, it's funny you should mention this, family and I were recently talking about the strong winds here in the UK, back in 87, with little or no utilities and at how difficult it was to get camping gas etc. I have also had a nagging in my head over the last few days to order more wood; get more camping gas, supplies, candles, matches and the like. Have also thought about a dutch oven for cooking over an open fire. Better get a move on, just in case. Kind regards Golden

01-04-2009, 05:59 PM	#8
Dantheman62 Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: So. Cal. U.S. Posts: 4,205	Re: A threat to our gas supplies may be here soon! MOSCOW (AP) -- Russia's state-controlled gas company said Sunday that it was hiking the price it wants Ukraine to pay for natural gas, hardening its position in a dispute that has decreased supplies to Europe. Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said that the company wanted $450 per 1,000 cubic meters, up from its last offer of $418. Ukraine's state gas company accused Gazprom of being unwilling to seek a compromise and said any price increase should be accompanied by a similar hike in the fee Ukraine gets from Russia to move gas through its pipelines on to European customers. Gazprom has continued to send gas to Europe, which relies on the Russian company for a quarter of its gas. But 80 percent of the gas Gazprom sends west passes through the same pipelines that supply Ukraine, and over the past four days the pressure in the pipelines has dropped. Some European countries -- Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Romania -- have reported a decline in supplies. Ukraine has said it has sufficient gas reserves to meet its needs for weeks. http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/090104/eu_ru...raine_gas.html

01-04-2009, 06:25 PM	#9
Jacqui D Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Kent,England Posts: 1,267	Re: A threat to our gas supplies may be here soon! Yes i would definately consider some form of cooking facility other than hob, oven. Even if you have a coal bar b que this still could be used to cook on in a dior situation. Camping stoves are great but with all this news filtering through it will not be long before people start realising this and these items will be bought up i can guarantee that. I'm off to get one myself tomorrow, yes and stock up on those candles as well.