Russian giant Gazprom said its natural gas production during the first eight months of the year has hit an estimated 331 billion cubic meters.
Compared to the corresponding period in 2018, this represents an increase of 5.6 billion cubic meters or 1.7 percent.
Gazprom said in its statement that the demand for natural gas from the national gas transmission system in the domestic market is nearing the level of last year. After eight months of 2019, it is down by 0.7 percent or 1.1 billion cubic meters lower when compared to the same period in 2018.
However, gas supplies grew by 1.2 billion cubic meters in August, a 12.1 percent increase.
The company noted that gas deliveries to Europe from January through August 2019 amounted to 127.3 billion cubic meters, down by 4.5 percent compared to the same period in the record year of 2018.
However, the company increased its gas exports to a number of countries this year, specifically to Hungary by 50.5 percent, to Austria by 32.2 percent, to the Czech Republic by 35.4 percent, to Slovakia by 40.4 percent, to the Netherlands by 12 percent, and to France by 5.6 percent.
Construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline continues, Gazprom said, adding that at present, 1,882 kilometers of pipes, over 76 percent of Nord Stream 2’s total length, have been laid in the Baltic Sea.