Putin's decree imposed an obligation on EU gas buyers to open at least two special accounts - one for euros or dollars and one for roubles - with Gazprombank and channel all gas payments through the bank.

The German year-ahead baseload traded as high as Eur197.75/MWh, a new high for the 2023 contract, while year-ahead coal into Europe traded at $230/mt, EEX and ICE exchange data showed.

Up until now, Europe has not announced an energy emergency plan. However, the latest figures show that Europe's gas storage capacity is only 26% full.

Gazprom said the request for gas exports to Europe through Ukraine had been set at 108.3 million cubic metres for April 6, similar to the request for April 5.

Norwegian deliveries totaled 9.94 Bcm in March -- or an average of 321 million cu m/d. The total volume is higher than in February, but lower on a daily average basis given February is a shorter month.

Deeply concerned by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the exposure of nuclear facilities to fighting and worrying public rhetoric, the undersigned scientists, engineers and professionals of the nuclear energy sector, represented by the American and European Nuclear Society:

But there was no sign on Friday of an immediate interruption. Flows remained steady through two of the three main pipelines bringing Russian gas into Europe - Nord Stream 1 across the Baltic Sea, and into Slovakia over Ukraine.

Russian gas deliveries to Europe on three key pipeline routes were broadly steady on Wednesday morning

In the global market, 70% of LNG is exported under long-term contracts. Therefore, the remaining 30% is sold to the country with the highest bid in the spot market.

Russian gas deliveries to Europe on three main pipeline routes were stable on Monday morning, with the Yamal-Europe pipeline continuing to flow eastwards from Germany into Poland.