Russian giant Gazprom said its natural gas production during the first nine months of the year had hit an estimated 368 billion cubic meters.
Compared to the corresponding period in 2018, this represents an increase of 3.6 billion cubic meters or one percent.
Gazprom said in its statement that the demand for natural gas from the national gas transmission system in the domestic market went up by 0.3 percent or 0.5 billion cubic meters.
According to the company, the demand for natural gas in the domestic market grew by 13.7 percent or 1.6 billion cubic meters in September alone.
Gazprom’s gas deliveries to Europe amounted to 144.6 billion cubic meters, down by 3.1 percent compared to the first nine months in the record year of 2018.
However, the company increased its gas exports to several countries this year, specifically to Hungary by 46.7, to Austria by 33.4, to the Czech Republic by 33.1, to Slovakia by 39.6, to the Netherlands by 16.1, and France by 6.2 percent.
Construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline continues, Gazprom said, adding that at present 2,042 kilometers of pipes, over 83 percent of Nord Stream 2’s total length, have been laid in the Baltic Sea.