EU may ban Russian gas from 2027: what Enagás operator said

According to hvylya.net: The Spanish gas operator Enagás stated that it is ready to phase out Russian liquefied natural gas by 2027 if the European Union accelerates the sanctions timeline. The company's CEO Arturo Gonzalo informed Reuters that the infrastructure allows for such a ban to be implemented a year earlier than the EU's planned deadline.

The statement came amid negotiations in Brussels regarding legislative initiatives that aim to halt imports of Russian oil and gas by January 2028. A separate sanctions package may ban Russian LNG as early as 2027 as part of a strategy to deprive the Kremlin of revenues to fund the war.

'I understand that Europe has ambitions regarding sanctions against Russia. We are technically ready to operate without Russian gas,' Gonzalo emphasized.

According to him, gas network operators have already established a reliable system for monitoring the origin of LNG shipments. Enagás utilizes a logistics platform where carriers are required to disclose the origin of gas unloaded in Spain. This information is verified through cargo documentation and customs control.

Replacing Russian gas with American gas

The CEO of the Spanish operator is confident that the LNG market has enough liquidity to replace Russian supplies. 'Once LNG from Russia stops arriving, a significant portion of it will be replaced by LNG from the USA,' Gonzalo predicted.

Next week, EU countries plan to approve the refusal of Russian oil and gas by 2028, after which negotiations with the European Parliament on the final version of the law will begin. Simultaneously, discussions about a separate sanctions package on Russian LNG are ongoing.

The Spanish operator Enagás is ready to refuse Russian gas by 2027 if the European Union accelerates the sanctions process. The company’s CEO emphasized the technical readiness for such changes and confidently stated the possibility of replacing Russian gas with American gas. Approving the refusal of Russian oil and gas by 2028 is the next step in the complex process of independence from Russian supplies.