Poland's LNG imports grew by 58% in 2018, at expense of Russian gas

According to the Polish state-run oil and gas company PGNiG (Polskie Górnictwo Naftowe i Gazownictwo), LNG imports (most of which from Qatar, Norway and the United States) rose by 58% in 2018 (+ 1 bcm, from 1.7 bcm in 2017 to 2.7 bcm in 2018), accounting for 20% of total gas imports. Meanwhile, Russian gas imports declined by 6.4%, from around 9.7 bcm in 2017 to roughly 9 bcm in 2018. Consequently, the share of gas imports from Russia in the total Polish import volumes dropped to less than 67% in 2018 from 89% in 2017.



PGNiG is implementing its strategy of reducing the dependence on Russian gas and is preparing to start supplying the Polish market with gas from the United States and Norway, following the launch of the Baltic Pipe interconnection through the North Sea, Denmark and the Baltic Sea by the end of 2022. Throughout 2018, the company namely signed long-term supply agreements with the US firms Port Arthur LNG (Sempra Energy) and Cheniere Energy for the delivery of LNG. By 2023, PGNiG will receive at least 7.45 Mt/year (about 10 bcm) of LNG. Such volumes will contribute to increasing the security of gas supplies for Poland and reduce its dependency on Russia.