Russia says Turkey asked for more gas due to cold weather

Moscow (Platts)--31Jan2006

Turkey has asked Russia to raise natural gas deliveries after it was
forced to increase power consumption due to cold weather, Russia's industry
and energy ministry said Tuesday. 
     Turkey's energy minister Hilmi Guler has discussed the issue with his
Russian counterpart Viktor Khristenko in a phone conversation, the ministry
said in a statement.
     Russia meets in full and exceeds its obligations under gas supplies
contracts, Khristenko was quoted as saying. Russia's minister noted that
Gazprom raised gas deliveries to Europe by 80-mil cu m/day of gas amid bitter
cold weather in Russia. He added that daily gas supplies via the Blue Stream
gas pipeline running via the Black Sea to Turkey had been also increased. The
ministry provided no details. Gazprom declined to comment at the moment. 
     Last week, Italy also requested to increase gas supplies after Ukraine
had taken additional volumes of gas intended for Europe from the export gas
pipeline running via that country. 
      "Unfortunately, all the attempts to increase gas deliveries to Europe
are offset by Ukraine taking more gas than agreed," Khristenko said. "I'm
convinced that Ukraine has to limit gas consumption amid [difficult] weather
conditions, as did Russia, Italy and other countries," Khristenko added.
     Meanwhile, Italian energy giant Eni said Monday it expected supplies of
Russian gas to return to normal after nearly two weeks of shortfalls.
--Nadia Rodova, nadia_rodova@platts.com

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