For the first time, US gas exports surpass Russia's in Europe

Baghdad-INA 

The International Energy Agency announced today, Friday, that the
United States of America recorded an increase in the main supplier of natural gas to Europe, more than what it obtained from Russia through pipelines.

Europe is looking for alternatives to Russian supplies, such as American liquefied natural gas, after the Russian company, "Gazprom", reduced its shipments through "Nord Stream", its largest pipeline in Europe, and cut off shipments to countries that did not comply with new payment terms imposed by Moscow, which secured last year. More than a third of the European Union's need for gas, according to "Bloomberg".

The Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol, wrote on Twitter: “The sharp cuts that Russia has recently implemented in natural gas flows to the European Union means that this is the first month in the history that the Union imports more gas via LNG from the European Union. In the United States, more than via a pipeline from Russia, the decrease in Russian supply calls for efforts to reduce EU demand, in order to prepare for a harsh winter.

The increase in US exports of liquefied natural gas, as the latter ramps up its production of ultra-cold fuel, after the start of exports from the Gulf Coast in 2016, transformed global energy trade, and US shipments remain huge, even after a fire broke out in a factory Freeport LNG in Texas, which was closed for long-term repairs, according to Bloomberg.