The European Union will try to intensify cooperation with African countries to help replace natural gas imports from Russia and reduce dependence on Moscow by almost two-thirds this year, according to Bloomberg,
KYIV.Ukrainegate , 3 , May , 2022 | World News.
Details
African countries, particularly in the western part of the continent, such as Nigeria , Senegal and Angola, offer much untapped potential for bonded natural gas, according to a draft EU document reviewed by Bloomberg. The decision on external energy cooperation should be adopted by the European Commission at the end of this month as part of a package of measures to implement the bloc’s plan to reduce energy dependence on Moscow, the newspaper writes.
The EU’s draft energy strategy also aims to prepare the region for imports of 10 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen by 2030 to help replace gas from Russia, in line with the EU’s ambitious Green Agreement on fossil fuel abandonment and climate change. neutrality until the middle of the century.
The EU’s plan to increase LNG imports by 50 billion cubic meters and increase pipeline gas supplies from countries other than Russia by 10 billion cubic meters requires establishing relationships with traditional suppliers on a new basis and expanding trade with new suppliers, the document said.
Key steps include the full implementation of the agreement with the United States to supply 15 billion cubic meters of additional LNG in 2022 and about 50 billion cubic meters annually by 2030. Another goal is to sign a tripartite memorandum of understanding with Egypt and Israel to increase LNG supplies to Europe by this summer.
The bloc also plans to support doubling the capacity of the Southern Gas Corridor, which receives gas from Azerbaijan, to 20 billion cubic meters per year. In addition, while the working group with Canada has to consider increasing gas supplies in the coming years, Japan and South Korea have already redirected a number of LNG shipments to Europe.
“Qatar is ready to facilitate swaps with Asian countries. In terms of pipeline gas, Norway has already increased its supplies to Europe, and both Algeria and Azerbaijan have expressed readiness to do so,” the European Commission’s draft strategy said.
The EU executive also said in a document that the bloc should work to ensure “open, flexible, liquid and well-functioning global LNG markets” with large producers such as the US, Australia and Qatar, as well as with consumers including China, Japan and South Korea.
Addition
A bloc of 27 countries wants to give up gas from its largest supplier after Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine.
Source: Ukrgate
