The Arctic weather is the first real test of Europe’s resiliency this season as it faces a historic energy crisis, with Russia curbing gas supplies to the region.

The special importance of joint energy projects, primarily in the gas industry, was emphasised. Following the recent talks in Istanbul by Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller the discussion continued of the initiative to create a regional gas hub in Turkiye.

Dry natural gas production in 2022 to set an annual record in the United States, averaging 98.0 Bcf/d.

In Germany, coal mines have been reopened, and nuclear power stations scheduled to be decommissioned been given an extended lease of life. Nearly all EU countries, very dependent on Russian oil and gas, have been scrabbling like crazy to find alternative sources, all at rising prices and growing difficulties in finding supplies.

Russia gradually choked its gas supply to Europe through 2022, ending deliveries via Yamal-Europe and Nord Stream, and sharply cutting exports via Ukraine.

Falling global inventories of oil in early 2023 will push Brent prices back above $90/b by the beginning of the second quarter of 2023 (2Q23). The Brent crude oil spot price will average $92/b for all of 2023.

The Indian Gas Exchange (IGX) traded a record 1,14,53,200mn Btu (about 290mn m3) gas volumes in November, up 1,359% year/year, it said on December 5. The trade volumes were up 179% month/month.

According to preliminary data, Gazprom produced 376.9 billion cubic meters of gas from January through November 2022. This is a decrease of 19.4 per cent (or 90.8 billion cubic meters) versus the same period of last year.

Gas prices are four times higher than normal for this time of year, fueling inflation and hurting economies.

With Russia cutting most of its gas supplies to Europe in the fallout over Moscow’s war in Ukraine, the continent is set to delve further into its stockpiles that it has spent months accumulating.

The EU aims to end its reliance on Russian fossil fuels by 2027. For now, Moscow’s move to halt supplies through the main Nord Stream 1 pipeline has led the bloc to increase shipments of Russian seaborne gas by around 50 per cent.

The European Union needs additional funds to decouple from Russian gas and shield companies and households from the current energy crisis,

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and the reduction in natural gas pipeline imports from Russia that followed, European countries have reactivated development of previously dormant regasification projects and have started development of new projects.

Qatar, one of the world's largest LNG exporters, has been courted by European countries, including Germany and the UK, in recent months as they seek improved gas supply security amid stubbornly high prices.

The 27 EU member states are trying to hammer out an agreement that can be implemented by the end of the year. The commission on Tuesday proposed to limit the price of the upcoming contract on the TTF market. TTF accounts for around four-fifths of gas trading in the bloc.