From Russia to the World

While Europe’s own gas production will further decline due to both depletion of existing deposits and lack of significant new discoveries, natural gas imports, particularly from Russia and Central Asia, will continue to rise.

In 2008, natural gas consumption in Germany was at a stable level of 97 Gm³. Natural gas’s share of total primary energy consumption remained unchanged at just under 25 percent.

Gas produced in Germany only covers approx. 15 percent of the German natural gas demand. The bulk of natural gas is imported, primarily from Russia (39%), Norway (29%), and the Netherlands (17%).

Therefore, GAZPROM, in its capacity as the largest natural gas supplier, is an important energy partner for Europe. For GAZPROM, Europe is simultaneously an important sales market and is currently the largest purchaser of Russian natural gas.

With annual deliveries of nearly 40 Gm³ of natural gas, Germany is the company’s core sales area. GAZPROM has fulfilled the supply contracts concluded with Germany for the past 35 years, delivering highest quality gas and demonstrating its absolute reliability.

In 2008, total exports to Western and Central Europe amounted to 184.4 Gm³. Moreover, a total of 96.5 Gm³ of natural gas was exported to both the CIS member countries and the Baltic states.

Thus, GAZPROM is the world’s largest natural gas exporter. Within the Group architecture, Gazprom export LLC – the Moscow-based wholly-owned subsidiary of GAZPROM OJSC – is responsible for exporting natural gas to European countries.