LNG for Europe: EU and USA forge liquid gas pact

Status: 03/25/2022 12:21 p.m

The EU wants to become independent of Russian gas as quickly as possible. Support is now coming from the USA: President Biden has promised an additional 15 billion cubic meters of liquid gas for this year. More is to be delivered in the long term, too.

The USA, together with international partners, want to deliver an additional 15 billion cubic meters of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the EU this year to replace Russian gas imports. In the long term, the amount is expected to increase to 50 billion cubic meters per year, as announced by US President Joe Biden and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels.

According to the Commission, this could replace around a third of current gas imports from Russia.

Von der Leyen: Reduce energy dependency on Russia

“You know that we want to reduce our dependence on Russia,” von der Leyen said. This can be achieved through investments in renewable energy, but also through additional gas supplies, including LNG supplies. The US commitment to 15 billion cubic meters is “a big step in that direction.” The Europeans wanted to diversify their sources of supply “towards suppliers we trust,” von der Leyen continued. According to the EU Commission, this will cover about a tenth of Russian gas deliveries to the EU this year.

Accordingly, the EU imports around 155 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia per year – that is about 40 percent of the gas consumed in the EU. By 2030, Europe will also ensure stable demand for additional LNG of at least 50 billion cubic meters per year from the USA, said von der Leyen.

In view of the war in Ukraine, the EU is trying to become independent of Russian gas supplies – both pipeline gas and LNG – as quickly as possible. The EU Commission has proposed plans to cut Russian gas imports by two-thirds by the end of the year. In order to diversify supplies, the EU Commission is also in contact with countries such as Qatar, Azerbaijan, Japan and South Korea.

The background to the initiative is the Russian attack on Ukraine. Biden and von der Leyen invoked transatlantic unity in an attempt to break away from Russian imports and achieve climate protection goals. A new transatlantic working group is to ensure closer energy cooperation for the coming years.

tagesschau live: Biden and von der Leyen on US liquid gas deliveries

3/25/2022 10:50 am

LNG structure still needs to be expanded

In order for the USA to be able to supply more LNG gas, an increased production of American fracking gas is necessary. On the other hand, the LNG infrastructure in Europe must be expanded, such as the construction of liquid gas terminals. The EU also wants to expand the possibilities for pumping gas from the coast of Western Europe to the industrial regions. So far, in many places this has only been possible for Russian gas from the East.

“The USA want to send 15 billion cubic meters of liquid gas to Europe”, Michael Grytz, ARD Brussels

Tagesschau 12:00 p.m., 25.3.2022

Habeck: Reduce Russian oil imports by summer

Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck had previously announced that Germany was reducing its dependence on Russian energy imports “at a rapid pace” against the background of the Ukraine war. By the middle of this year, “Russian oil imports to Germany will probably be halved,” said Habeck in Berlin. In the case of gas, it could be possible to become independent of Russian supplies by the summer of 2024, with the exception of a few shares.

As part of his visit to Europe, Biden wanted to continue to Poland later that day and visit US troops stationed there in Rzeszow. The city is about an hour’s drive from the Ukrainian border. The US President also wanted to find out about humanitarian aid for more than two million refugees who have come to Poland from Ukraine alone. A meeting between Biden and Polish President Andrzej Duda is planned for Saturday. Biden is also scheduled to deliver a speech on the joint efforts of western democracies to support Ukraine and its people, according to the White House.

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