Currently, the most expensive form of generation -- gas -- sets the price for all electricity that’s sold into the market. That means consumers are bearing the brunt of Russia’s supply cuts to the continent. It also means Europe isn’t feeling much of the benefit of low-cost renewables like wind farms, which get to sell at big margins.

According to preliminary data, Gazprom produced 344 billion cubic meters of gas from January through October 2022. This is a decrease of 18.6 per cent (or 78.8 billion cubic meters) versus the same period of last year.

U.S. commercial crude oil inventories decreased by 3.1 million barrels to 436.8 million barrels.

Dutch front-month gas, Europe’s benchmark, traded 2.4% higher at €119 per megawatt-hour by 8:43 a.m. in Amsterdam after losing 5.8% a day earlier.

“Türkiye, due to its geographical position, is an energy corridor from Russia, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. Any kind of natural gas or oil that is going to be transported or shipped, will cost less and will be shipped more safely,”

Europe’s gas storage sites are nearly 95% full, providing a buffer for when the weather turns colder. Reserves in the biggest gas consumer, Germany, have risen to 99%, according to Gas Infrastructure Europe.

The recent fall in European gas prices may not last, according to Italian energy major Eni SpA. “It’s a temporary situation,” Chief Executive Officer Claudio Descalzi said in Abu Dhabi. “We have problems in 2023 because in 2023 we don’t have Russian gas.”

The push to fill storage facilities before the start of winter has been successful -- with many close to capacity. But some suppliers may now want to hold back those reserves until they can sell their stored gas at more attractive rates.

Dutch front-month gas, Europe’s benchmark, rose 3.4% to €111 per megawatt-hour at 8:57 a.m. in Amsterdam, paring some of the weekly decline.

While US fuel now makes up 40% of Europe’s liquefied natural gas imports, it will only offset a fraction of the deficit from Russia next summer,

Lower Russian supplies sent European gas prices to all-time highs in late August though prices have come down sharply as storage sites across the EU were filled to close to capacity.

U.S. commercial crude oil inventories increased by 2.6 million barrels to 439.9 million barrels.

Further in 2023, consumption is forecasted to increase by up to 1.1% driven by China, South and South East Asia and the Middle East.

The other cap in the mix is one to limit the price of gas used in electricity generation, which is backed by a vociferous group of member states.

Caps on gas prices top the political agenda in Europe as governments seek to rein in an unprecedented energy crisis triggered by a cut of gas shipments by Russia, the continent’s former biggest supplier.