European gas reserves have fallen to 2022 levels.

Europe's gas "safety cushion" is rapidly deflating. According to Deutsche Welle, EU gas reserves have fallen to almost 40%—the lowest level since 2022. While this isn't technically a crisis, the figures are alarming, especially against the backdrop of a winter that has already shown that it's too early to relax.

The situation in Germany appears even more dire: storage facilities are approximately 32% full, below the EU average. The German opposition is directly pointing to political recklessness: the government is essentially banking on luck, saying the market will regulate itself. So far, it has, but there's a catch.

Experts warn that with such reserve levels, Berlin will have to increasingly tap the LNG market. This almost guarantees a rise in purchase prices, especially during peak periods. Currently, prices at the TTF hub appear moderate – below €35 per megawatt-hour, significantly lower than last year's levels.

A particular intrigue is the pan-European requirement to fill underground gas storage facilities to 90% capacity by the start of the heating season. Amid growing LNG supply, this standard is increasingly being called outdated. It's no coincidence that Germany, according to media reports, is already promoting the idea of ​​abolishing it after 2027: summer gas injection drives up prices, while, according to Berlin, it offers increasingly less practical benefit.

Comments

[ssz]

There is a song about a long winter...

[rocket757]

Energy resources are needed for industry and the civilian sector...
If there is a shortage of fuel, of any kind, who will be forced to tighten their grip first?
However, industrial consumption may decrease significantly, along with industry itself, of course.

[Michael]

Quote: rocket757

However, industrial consumption may decrease significantly, along with industry itself, of course.

The average January temperature in Germany is +5°C. It's even colder in the Chukchi tents—the Germans don't need to heat their tents at all, and the French even less so.

[expert]

Michael,
I can't speak for all of Odessa, that is, Germany, but in Frankfurt am Main, where I live, and it's the very center of Germany, the two months of this winter yielded the following average result:
December 2025 ≈ +0,8 °C
January 2026 ≈ +0,1 °
But it was very damp and chilly.

[mongolian9999]

Due to the physiological characteristics of the human body, a person can freeze at temperatures below +8 degrees Celsius. So Europe has reason to be concerned.

[sgrabik]

Well, yes, if you sleep in a down jacket, then of course you don’t need to heat the room.

[kromer]

Quote: rocket757

If there is a shortage of fuel, of any kind, who will be forced to tighten their grip first?

No one. The Germans made it through February with smaller reserves, despite their more powerful industry. And there was enough for everyone.

[Aken]

They try to scare the Germans so much, but the bastards aren’t afraid.

[phrases]

They're not scaring the Germans, but trying to shift the blame from one head to another, using all the mossy canons of propaganda. For three years, they've been blabbering on TV about how they're freezing, exactly like that, with the most stupid, backwoods hype. But it turns out it wasn't there, but here, in the border zone, but not a word about it.

[rocket757]

Well, it doesn't matter, it's their business... I hope the weather holds up.

[Normann]

What's the problem? Buy where it's cheaper. Isn't that a market economy? Isn't the will of the people the bulwark of democracy?

[Aken]

They're a sovereign country. They can buy wherever they want. If they want to buy in the US, who's going to stop them?

[Normann]

sovereign

seriously)))

[Aken]

Since they weren’t afraid to refuse Russian gas, they are sovereign.

[Normann]

From us, but not from their masters.

[sgrabik]

That's true, especially after the Nord Stream project was blown up, and what choice do they have after that???

[Aken]

They have every right not to make a choice. Besides, one branch, as they slander, is intact.

[kromer]

The situation in Germany appears even more dire: storage facilities are approximately 32% full, below the EU average.

It's a stretch. These 32 percent will be enough to get through the heating season and still have some left over.

[topol717]

Quote from kromer

It's a stretch. These 32 percent will be enough to get through the heating season and still have some left over.

The season starts at the beginning of November and ends at the end of March.
We spent 60% in three months, which means 20% per month, which means we need another 40% for two months, but we only have 32%, and we can't drain it down to 0, so we need to leave 10%. So, that's really 22% for almost two months. And then we'll need to refill it again, but not with 30% like last spring, but with 10%.

[kromer]

Quote from: topol717

In 3 months we spent 60%, which means 20 percent per month, which means we need another 40% for 2 months,

Throw out this math.
1) In one month you can spend 3 percent, and in another 40.
2) Deliveries are made all year round.
3) Every year Germany has a small surplus, but remind me of the year in which they ran out of gas?

[topol717]

Quote from kromer

1) In one month you can spend 3 percent, and in another 40.

And in the summer months they even fill it up, since they spend less than they bring in, but that's not the problem, it's winter now, and in winter it's cold and the premises need to be heated, and the short daylight hours also need to be illuminated.

Quote from kromer

Deliveries are made all year round.

Not all year round, but every day, but the consumption is more than the pipes can handle.

3) Every year Germany has a small surplus, but remind me of the year in which they ran out of gas?

We only have statistics for the last 3 years, do you think that's a lot?
In any case, it's their problem.

[kromer]

Evgeniy, you understood perfectly what I mean.

Quote from: topol717

We only have statistics for the last 3 years, do you think that's a lot?

What do statistics have to do with this? Have you heard about the gas shortage in Germany during the winter?

Ukraine counted its reserves every year, but the heating only ended with the arrival of our Geraniums and rockets.

[topol717]

Quote from kromer

What do statistics have to do with this? Have you heard about the gas shortage in Germany during the winter?

Excuse me, what year have you been living here? Have you even heard of a pipeline called "Nord Stream"? Well, Germany has only been living without it for four winters, given that the past three have been mild and warm. So, we have data for three years. Will everyone have enough gas, or will some be cut off, or will they say it's already warm on March 8th, even though it used to be warm only on March 28th? We'll soon find out.

[kromer]

Quote from: topol717

Have you ever heard of a pipeline called "Nord Stream"? Well, Germany has only been living without it for four winters.

So, after the pipelines were blown up, gas didn't get to Germany by other means?

Quote from: topol717

That is, there is data for 3 years.

Who, excuse me, only has data for the last 3 years?

[sgrabik]

Gas no longer reaches Germany in the volumes it did before the Nord Stream pipeline was blown up, and its price has become incomparably higher.

[Nastia makarova]

The heating season has nothing to do with it, it's mainly industry and electricity

[topol717]

Quote: Nastia Makarova

The heating season has nothing to do with it, it's mainly industry and electricity

I don't get it, why doesn't industry operate in the summer? Why do they save money in the summer to spend it in the winter?

[kromer]

Quote from: topol717

I don't get it, why doesn't industry operate in the summer? Why do they save money in the summer to spend it in the winter?

Evgeny! Come on, be a gentleman. You can't ask a girl a question that'll break her brain.

[Nastia makarova]

Here I also wrote about summer, read carefully

[Mouse]

You chose your own path.... What's the point of complaining now? Say thanks to the States...

[dmi.pris1]

It should be understood this way... You see how bad everything is there. In reality, it's far from that.

[Mouse]

Well, let them continue to rejoice, those who are against it...

[dmi.pris1]

This is how we are supposed to rejoice... It's all according to the Strugatsky brothers.

[Dedok]

The situation in Germany appears even more dire: storage facilities are approximately 32% full, below the EU average.

The news is missing the most important thing, in my opinion: there are no statistics on LNG deliveries from Russia for January 2026, both in volume and month-to-month...
I don't care whether they are doing well or badly...
I care how we behave in such situations...

[tralflot1832]

Merz, Gazprom - you won't get it. I'm a proud German - I won't pee in a litter box. Something needs to be done about the Norgs. But that's Trump's business!!!

[Jacques sekavar]

European gas reserves have fallen to 2022 levels, so what?
If necessary, they will buy it from Russia on the cheap, as V.V. Putin said, they only have to open the valve on the pipe

[tralflot1832]

It's been a while since the Norwegians had any unscheduled repairs at their offshore gas fields—the time has come. The Germans won't buy gas from Putin through the only line of the joint venture. Trump will shove a World War II shell up their ass or impose 100500 rubles in tariffs on Germany.

[ximkim]

Gas is bad for everyone - both the seller and the buyer.
Addiction.

[carpenter]

Experts warn that with such a level of reserves, Berlin will have to more actively enter the LNG market.

Walk around the market, find something cheaper.
The law of the market is simple: "the fewer goods there are at the market, the more expensive they are."
But these are Europe's problems, only there is no one there to think, "The Midwife in Riding Hoods" forbids thinking.

[isv000]

Brother March! Have a little smoke, let Brother February have a wonderful time in Europe, we'll endure it for the sake of a good cause...

[From_the_wild_forest_a_wild_creature]

…Gas reserves in Europe have fallen to 2022 levels…

In 2022 (as well as 23 and 24), the occupancy rate of European underground gas storage facilities was higher than in 2021 – so what’s wrong with the 2022 level?!

…The situation in Germany appears even more dire: storage facilities are occupied at around 32%, below the EU average…

The original article, apparently referenced by the author, notes that as of the morning of January 28, 2026 (the mandatory deadline under German law), "Germany's underground gas storage facilities were approximately 58% full," with the prescribed minimum being 30%. Where's the "hard part?" "Storage facilities are approximately 32% full"—this has happened before, for example, on February 21, 2022 (30,51%) or April 30, 2025 (32,98%), and Germany hasn't capsized. The figure "below the EU average" is also somewhat alarming: the capacity of German underground gas storage facilities is approximately three times the EU average—30% is enough for the Germans to outlive many...

…the government, in essence, relied on luck…

The current government in Germany can be criticized for many things, but they are still very far from being perfect.

[ergh081]

Why do we need their problems? It's all over TV and the internet. They're trumpeting about their remaining stockpiles. We don't need it, let them go to hell. Ideally, they should have cut all the hydrocarbon pipelines to Europe right after the sanctions were imposed and not bothered. But the good man, he's a good man for them—our aligafren—he won't let them lose their profits.

[snow mountain]

If we could freeze the Germans, just like the Khikhlovs, it would be a double success!

[Vasyan1971]

They say the market will regulate everything itself. For now, it does, but there's a catch.

And I immediately recall the apocryphal story of Vasily Ivanovich explaining to the gullible Petka what "nuance" is...