patrick.net

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-2743638/Poland-expand-new-LNG-terminal-equal-half-market.html

Poland may expand new LNG terminal to equal half its market
WARSAW, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Poland may expand storage at a new liquefied natural gas import terminal to equal half its annual consumption after finding enormous interest in the market, the head of its gas grid said, as it moves to slash dependence on Russian imports.

http://www.naturalgaseurope.com/estonia-finland-agreement-lng-terminal
Estonia and Finland Reach Agreement on LNG Terminal
Ending the spat over location of a liquefied natural gas terminal (LNGT), officials in Finland and Estonia have OK'd a USD$690.6 million plan to build two separate LNG terminals - one in Finland and the other in Estonia.

The two countries also signed a letter of intent concerning construction of the Balticconnector, a USD$130 million natural gas pipeline that will connect the two states.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/easternapproaches/2014/04/poland-and-russia

THOUGH it is still very dependent on Russian gas, Poland is starting to become much better at looking after its energy needs. Last year the country imported 60% of its gas from Russia. As of April 1st Poland can import significantly more gas from Germany, thanks to the expansion of a pumping station at Mallnow on the border. The gas in the Yamal pipeline, which brings Russian gas to Germany (via Belarus and Poland), can, for the first time, be pumped from west to east.

All the pipelines built by the Soviet Union to supply gas to its satellites were designed to operate in one direction only, from Russia to the West. But Gaz-System, the firm that operates the Polish section of the Yamal pipeline, says up to 2.3 billion cubic metres of gas per year can now be imported through it from the West. “In the case of emergency (the suspension of supplies from Russia to Germany), it will be possible to receive 620,000 cubic metres per hour (i.e. approximately 5.5 billion cubic metres per year),” the company says.

That amounts to more than one-third of the gas sold in Poland last year. If you add in domestic gas production, increased capacity in interconnector pipelines with Germany and the Czech Republic, and a soon-to-be-completed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, which will start importing gas on tankers from Qatar next year, then Poland can meet its own gas needs entirely.

That’s a tremendous change for a country that for years talked about the need to reduce its dependence on Russian gas, but did very little about it. It was the pricing dispute between Russia and Ukraine, which halted gas supplies to western Europe in 2009, that led Poland to fast-track the construction of the LNG terminal.

This does not mean that Poland can simply stop importing gas from Russia. Poland’s state-controlled natural gas company, PGNiG, has a long-term supply contract with Russia’s gas monopoly, Gazprom, until 2022. Like most of Gazprom’s contracts with European customers, it’s a take-or-pay contract. Pipeline gas from Russia is also currently cheaper than LNG imports. But as Poland’s foreign minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, once told this correspondent, the LNG terminal may not be profitable but at least it will fly a Polish flag.

Having alternative gas sources means PGNiG is now in a better position to negotiate with Gazprom a price for its gas imports when the next round of discussions starts in November. The lack of alternative sources in the past has meant that Poland pays more for Russian gas than its wealthier counterparts in western Europe.

I have been expecting Poland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to do exactly what Poland is doing now for quite some time.

All that gas Poland gets from Germany has pretty much one ultimate Origin point...

And of course, as the article above states...

Pipeline gas from Russia is also currently cheaper than LNG imports. But as Poland’s foreign minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, once told this correspondent, the LNG terminal may not be profitable but at least it will fly a Polish flag.

Currently cheaper? It'll be a cold day in hell when LNG, that has to be liquified (energy costs), loaded in a special tanker, shipped around the world, then "Unliquified" using more energy (or placed on special, expensive trucks for further delivery) will be cheaper than Pipeline Gas.

Keep stackin' those unsold Apples, Poland.

darlag says

reverse supply of Russian gas

Now there's a visual I could do without.

Is the LNG plant going to be up and running by November?

Kholhols better start chopping wood, or asking Milena to work Thursday Night at "Whispers" too, so she can send more dollar bills back to Lvov.

thunderlips11 says

All that gas Poland gets from Germany has pretty much one ultimate Origin point...

And of course, as the article above states...

Pipeline gas from Russia is also currently cheaper than LNG imports. But as Poland’s foreign minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, once told this correspondent, the LNG terminal may not be profitable but at least it will fly a Polish flag.

Currently cheaper? It'll be a cold day in hell when LNG, that has to be liquified (energy costs), loaded in a special tanker, shipped around the world, then "Unliquified" using more energy (or placed on special, expensive trucks for further delivery) will be cheaper than Pipeline Gas.

Keep stackin' those unsold Apples, Poland.

That is what I was thinking. Germany gets gas from Russia-if it is going to reimport that to Poland-than it is going tot ack on a profit. So unless they can get all their reserves from somewhere else-they are still dependent on Russia??

lostand confused says

Currently cheaper? It'll be a cold day in hell when LNG, that has to be liquified (energy costs), loaded in a special tanker, shipped around the world, then "Unliquified" using more energy (or placed on special, expensive trucks for further delivery) will be cheaper than Pipeline Gas.

Keep stackin' those unsold Apples, Poland.

That is what I was thinking. Germany gets gas from Russia-if it is going to reimport that to Poland-than it is going tot ack on a profit. So unless they can get all their reserves from somewhere else-they are still dependent on Russia??

They should do what Germany has been doing for it's energy.....going solar.
We have lots and lots of gas. Lets start exporting to our friends in Europe, and teach Putin a lesson.
I just don't understand why Russia needs to be an asshole, instead of cooperating with others for the common good.

lostand confused says

That is what I was thinking. Germany gets gas from Russia-if it is going to reimport that to Poland-than it is going tot ack on a profit. So unless they can get all their reserves from somewhere else-they are still dependent on Russia??

1. They are assuming that Russia would never cut gas to Germany.
2. Reread the whole thing, since Germany pays less for it's gas from Russia than Poland does, they can still buy it back from the Germans for a reasonable amount. Or use German LNG import terminals.
3. I expect Poland to build even more LNG capacity or cut demand by some other means.

Strategist says

I just don't understand why Russia needs to be an asshole, instead of cooperating with others for the common good.

Study Russian history. Right now Russians are behaving as they typically have.

zzyzzx says

Strategist says

I just don't understand why Russia needs to be an asshole, instead of cooperating with others for the common good.

Study Russian history. Right now Russians are behaving as they typically have.

Not that different than anybody in Europe. Germans have a far nastier history or the English who colonized the whole world. Russia is doing what it wants to and playing a game of chicken to see how far it can go without it being slapped back.

it is expected. We live in a supposedly unipolar world-led by the most indebted nation on earth. Plus Iraq and Afghanistan has done us no favors to show people our military might. We have the hardware, but do not have the will to use it. Now this was Bush too-even after 9/11 he pussyfooted around and the war seemed to only benefit Halliburton and nobody else. At least Obozo got Bin laden. Bush could not even do that-which makes him a disgrace to this country. Somebody attacks you so boldly and taunts you openly and you can't even catch him. There is no use in building so many weapons if we are not going to use it.

Either we be this civilized nation of hyprocrites or learn to be honest. Sadaam never had a problem with the likes of iSIS. if he caught an iSIS fighter, he would probably go that person's village and kill everybody there to make an example. A few villages down and nobody will join ISIS. but we don't do that-even if people attack the heartland. We only go to war for profit and nothing else.

Say what you will a few leaders like Putin might actually do us some good. Russia has much lower taxes than us and I doubt the KGB can hold a candle to our NSA. We put more people in prison than Russia and our women own us. How much worse can it be-at least in Russia the makers get to keep more of their money-how ironic , since they are the birthplace of communism.

zzyzzx says

Study Russian history. Right now Russians are behaving as they typically have.

Defensively.

Alexander Nevsky? Zhukov? Petr the Great? Kutusov?

Russians are tired of Northern Europeans invading and burning their country, so they want buffer states to the West, outside of NATO, so the fighting can take place there the next time Sweden, Germany/Prussia, the Teutonic Order, Poland, the Livonian Order, etc. try to invade Russia for it's vast wealth.

Putin will not tolerate a Ukraine in NATO, which violates every promise made by James Bakker III during the end of the Soviet Union. Right now almost every promise has been broken. Ukraine is the gateway to the Steppes, the final straw of NATO's aggressive eastern expansion Russia won't tolerate.

There's nothing wrong with having Georgia, Finland, and Ukraine between Russia and the NATO. It's good for peace and stability.

Strategist says

We have lots and lots of gas. Lets start exporting to our friends in Europe, and teach Putin a lesson.

Can't. Neither the US nor Europe has a fraction of the infrastructure to currently support LNG deliveries in the quantity necessary to replace piped Russian Nat Gas. Even if they went all out - a trillion dollar project or more - it would take more than a decade.

Nat Gas isn't just Electric, but also Heating and Cooking. Continental Europe is cold in the Winter.

thunderlips11 says

zzyzzx says

Study Russian history. Right now Russians are behaving as they typically have.

Defensively.

Alexander Nevsky? Zhukov? Petr the Great?

Russians are tired of Northern Europeans invading and burning their country, so they want buffer states to the West, outside of NATO, so the fighting can take place there the next time Sweden, Germany/Prussia, the Teutonic Order, Poland, the Livonian Order, etc. try to invade Russia for it's vast wealth.

Thunder, why would the West want to invade Russia? If they wanted free oil they would have kept Kuwait and Iraq. They could have invaded the Saudis anytime they wanted to. They have no reason to invade Russia in the 21st century. Russia has oil, natural resources and an educated work force. All it has to do is stop being an adversary and start becoming a friend, and everyone would be better off.
Russia needs a Gorbachev, not a Putin.

Strategist says

Thunder, why would the West want to invade Russia?

Elimination of a powerful rival.

Strategist says

If they wanted free oil they would have kept Kuwait and Iraq. They could have invaded the Saudis anytime they wanted to.

FDR wanted to break up the British empire to etablish US dominance. Since then, the Saudis, Kuwaitis and Qataris have been careful to be "the sheik most generous" to our politicians. Also, the US attempts to "Use" Wahabis against Russia and Iran.

Just backfires sometimes.

Strategist says

They have no reason to invade Russia in the 21st century.

Then why keep expanding NATO eastward? Is Russia going to be invited into NATO or the EU? Never, there's not even talk of it sometime down the road NOR was there even in the nicey-nice days after the Berlin Wall fell.

The Elite in Europe has always dreamed about Liebensraum in a conquered Russia, they can't believe the Russians are content with their already unbelievably vast state and don't feel the same about them. What do psychologists call this? Projection, I think.

Nickel, Coal, Steel, Iron, Nat Gas, Gold. All begging to be owned and exploited by the City and Wall Street, without pesky "Russian Nationalism" getting in the way.

Don't believe me, consider ZBig. The Neoliberal Goal is all in the "Grand Chessboard". It's a weird day when Kissinger is the voice of reason.

All of Putin's moves are defensive. Crimea was punishment for the second Western-backed Putsch in Kiev; it's utterly Russian and it voted against being part of Ukraine to begin with. Georgia was letting the US know it won't allow it's buffer state between itself and Turkey removed, and that the Russian military covered from it's 90s lowest ebb. These are all Jabs and Blocks, not knock-out swings.

Remember, the man is a Judo expert. He loves to make his enemies hurt themselves from their own actions.

thunderlips11 says

Strategist says

Thunder, why would the West want to invade Russia?

Elimination of a powerful rival.

Rivals in what? What are you talking about?
The Japanese were our rivals, now they are our friends and everyone is better off.
The Germans were our rivals, now they are our friends and everyone is better off.
The Chinese were our rivals, now they are our becoming friends and everyone is better off.
We don't want Russia as our rival, we want Russia as our friend. What good does being rivals do?

Strategist says

We don't want Russia as our rival, we want Russia as our friend. What good does being rivals do?

If you are saying it's a capitalist vs communist thing, you must realize that communism has already failed. Get over it.

Here's a Russian perspective on why the US wants to put the screws on Russia and get Cold War 2 going.

http://www.UpCuhoRrv3Q

I don't necessarily agree with everything or even most of what's in here. The fundamental truth is that the US is a hollow core with only one manufacturing industry left - Aerospace, and that mostly propped up by massive hundred-plus billion dollar annual government spending.

thunderlips11 says

Here's a Russian perspective on why the US wants to put the screws on Russia and get Cold War 2 going.

I don't necessarily agree with the everything.

It's total nonsense. Not even worth looking at. Why do you bother with all this crap?
We are all about democracy, peace, prosperity and progress. Don't you think we are all better off with that?

Strategist says

Rivals in what? What are you talking about?

The Japanese were our rivals, now they are our friends and everyone is better off.

The Germans were our rivals, now they are our friends and everyone is better off.

The Chinese were our rivals, now they are our becoming friends and everyone is better off.

China was our rival?
Germany was our rival?
Japan was our rival?

No way. Our only cold period with China was between the late 40s and early 70s. Before that, the US was dedicated to China in terms of trade and missionaries. But China also is beginning to flex it's muscle and assert itself as a Regional Power.

Germany (Prussia) and the US have always had good relations except during the wars.

Same with Japan. US-Japanese conflict - began in the 30s but ended in just a little over a decade. See "War Plan Orange".

Rivalry with Russia started at least at the end of WW2 and continued, in a way rivalry did not continue.

Russia is now being resurrected as a backup now that the US public is exhausted with the GWOT.

We don't want Russia as our rival, we want Russia as our friend. What good does being rivals do?

Check out the Wikileaks State Department memos some time. You'll see a huge divide between what the Public is told the US is doing and why, and the real reason why things happen and what the USG and it's Corporate owners really want.

Strategist says

It's total nonsense. Not even worth looking at. Why do you bother with all this crap?

I see your curiousity is strong.

thunderlips11 says

China was our rival?

Germany was our rival?

Japan was our rival?

No way. Our only cold period with China was between the late 40s and early 70s. Before that, the US was dedicated to China in terms of trade and missionaries. But China also is beginning to flex it's muscle and assert itself as a Regional Power.

Germany (Prussia) and the US have always had good relations except during the wars.

Same with Japan. US-Japanese conflict - began in the 30s but ended in just a little over a decade. See "War Plan Orange".

Rivalry with Russia started at least at the end of WW2 and continued, in a way rivalry did not continue.

Russia is now being resurrected as a backup now that the US public is exhausted with the GWOT.

I have no idea what you are saying.

thunderlips11 says

Rivalry with Russia started at least at the end of WW2 and continued, in a way rivalry did not continue.

did not continue with other countries the US went to war with or had bad relations with (like Japan, Germany, and China). Our bad relations with China only lasted about 20-25 years.

In any case, the US wouldn't tolerate Russian or Chinese Flankers in Mexico, so Putin is not going to tolerate F-16s or Eurofighter Typhoons in Ukraine.

And the entire current situation was caused by the US and the Neocon Nuland and her Neocon Husband Robert Kagan, overthrowing Ukraine's Elected Government with $5B dollars and the help of Ukrainian Billionaires. If the US had not done so, there would be no rebellion in Donbas and not even the return of Crimea to it's Russian roots.

http://news.yahoo.com/poland-resumes-gas-deliveries-ukraine-090854611.html

Poland resumes gas deliveries to Ukraine

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland has resumed deliveries of gas to Ukraine that it had halted after its own supplies from Russia dropped this week, the state pipeline operator said Friday.

The statement by Gaz-System S.A. suggests gas flows from Russian supplier Gazprom are once again meeting Poland's daily demand.

State gas company, PGNiG, said that on Thursday it still registered some deficit compared to the ordered amount, but that the shortfall was lower than on Wednesday, when supplies were 45 percent short of demand. Data for Friday was expected during the weekend.

The head of PGNiG, Mariusz Zawisza, told Polish PAP agency that the company raised its demand for Russian gas in recent days due to market needs.

"We place gas orders according to our needs. We stick to the provisions of the contract, and we do not exceed the maximum daily volumes," Zawisza said, without offering any figures.

The contract is based on a volume range, but the details are not made public.

The spat between Poland and Russia came amid concerns that Moscow is ready to use its energy exports as a political weapon over the crisis in Ukraine.

"We do not treat the situation as a crisis," Zawisza said. "It is just one incident."

Zawisza said that after Germany and Italy, Poland is Gazprom's third largest European client. Poland uses some 15 billion cubic meters of gas a year and about 60 percent of that is covered by imports from Russia.

Germany, Austria and Romania have also reported a small drop in Russian gas flows this week.

zzyzzx says

Zawisza said that after Germany and Italy, Poland is Gazprom's third largest European client.

In that case Poland has clout. Being a big customer, Russia will not shoot itself in the foot. Now I wonder if the Poles are being paid off by the IMF or the EU-because I doubt Ukraine can afford to be pay?