Gazprom expects gas exports no lower than 155 bcm in 2014; may repeat 2013 result
MOSCOW. Jan 23 (Interfax) - Gazprom expects to export no less than 155 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas to Western Europe in 2014, the deputy head of the department for exports to Western Europe, Sergei Budzulyak, said during a conference call for investors.
Gazprom exported 161.5 bcm to Western Europe in 2013, he said.
"We expect to maintain that figure this year, but have set ourselves the goal of no lower than 155 bcm," he said.
The growth in exports was due to declining deliveries from competing suppliers and sales to some importers of so-called make-up gas, which had been paid for earlier under take-or-pay contract provisions.
The deputy chief accountant, Mikhail Rosseyev, said that the amount of prepayments received in previous years totaled 68 billion rubles as of September 30, 2013, a decline of 8 billion rubles.
The Gazprom presentation during the conference call said that gas exports to Western Europe in the first 21 days of January 2014 were 12% higher than in the same period last year.