Gazprom, RAG and WINGAS Start Phase 2 of Haidach Gas Storage (Austria)

Salzburg (Austria) hosted today the celebrations held by Gazprom, RAG and WINGAS and dedicated to completion of the Haidach underground gas storage (UGS) facility being the largest in Austria and the second-largest in Central Europe.

Upon commissioning of the second and final phase of the UGS facility, its capacity totaled 2.8 billion cubic meters, daily deliverability – 28 million cubic meters (volumes are specified herein at a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius). At the same time, the volume of natural gas stored by Gazprom in Haidach reached 1.9 billion cubic meters which makes up two-thirds of the UGS capacity.

Gazprom, RAG and WINGAS jointly invested some EUR 300 million in the project.

“Expanding the UGS network in Europe and building up storage capacities will enable Gazprom to trade extra gas amounts as well as to make a tangible contribution to reinforcing the regional energy security. Located in the heart of Europe, the Haidach UGS facility is a particularly successful project of the kind”, said Alexander Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee.

“One of the major challenges relating to the energy supply is our ability to store energy. Gas storage facilities are the energy storage systems of the future. By using the former gas reservoir at Haidach as an underground gas storage facility in a sustainable manner we are now making a key contribution to Europe’s supply security”, said Markus Mitteregger, CEO of Rohöl­-Aufsuchungs Aktien­gesellschaft (RAG).

“Gas storage facilities are crucial to securing the energy supply in Europe. Major investments are required to expand this infrastructure. The Haidach storage facility is a prime example of strong partners in the energy industry combining their different areas of expertise and realizing a project such as this one together successfully. The expansion of the Haidach storage facility is an important element in developing the increasingly integrated European gas markets”, said Dr. Gerhard König, Chairman of WINGAS.

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Source: Gazprom, May 19, 2011;