China News Service, September 29, reported that the European energy crisis continued to worsen, and many energy prices rose to record highs on the 28th. The tight supply of gasoline in the UK has intensified. Thousands of gas stations were forced to close due to fuel shortages. There were long queues at many gas stations. Many drivers fought for fuel, even threatened and drove into people with knives.
[European energy crisis continues to worsen]
According to reports, the Dutch TTF natural gas futures, which is the benchmark for European natural gas prices, have soared about 300% since January, and the price rose by 72% in August alone. At present, European natural gas prices are 400% higher than the average prices from 2010 to 2020.
In addition, Brent oil also rose to US$80 per barrel for the first time since 2018. Even in Norway, which is Europe’s most important energy exporter, local power suppliers warn that power supply in the southwestern region may be unstable.
Hochstein, a senior adviser on energy security at the US State Department, recently warned that if this winter is colder than previous years, Europe will lack sufficient natural gas for electricity and heating, and some countries may be forced to ration fuel. Goldman Sachs also predicts that in the next few months, the shortage of natural gas supply may further intensify, and the entire Europe will face the risk of power outages.
Hong Kong’s “Ta Kung Pao” stated that the price of natural gas in Europe has soared, directly due to the imbalance between supply and demand. On the demand side, the economic recovery after the epidemic has pushed up global demand for natural gas. At the same time, Europe has implemented a more environmentally friendly energy policy, and natural gas with less pollution has become the first choice for replacing coal. This has led Europe to compete with Asia for liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports.
On the supply side, in response to the last unusually cold winter, Europe consumed most of its natural gas reserves, but it was not replenished in time this summer, resulting in the region’s reserve scale being only around 70%, 16% lower than the five-year average target. At a record low. Among them, as Europe’s main natural gas supplier in the United States, many LNG plants have stopped production due to the price plunge in 2020, and due to the impact of Hurricane Ada at the end of August, more than 50% of the oil and gas production capacity in the Gulf of Mexico has not been restored.
In addition, the “Beixi-2” natural gas pipeline jointly built by Russia and Germany has recently been completed. The market had hoped that the project would increase the supply of natural gas. However, affected by complicated regulatory approvals and obstruction by the United States, it is still uncertain when it will be able to ventilate. For a long time, the United States has strongly opposed the “Beixi-2” pipeline, saying that it will only deepen Europe’s dependence on Russia, and it will obstruct it through sanctions on contractors and other means.
[Frequent conflicts during panic buying in the UK]
In the UK, fuel shortages caused by panic buying continued, with as many as 90% of gas stations in major cities sold out. Although the British Transport Secretary Sharps has repeatedly emphasized that there are signs that as long as the panic buying mood subsides, the gas shortage crisis is expected to ease within this week, but his remarks obviously failed to alleviate their worries, and many drivers still stayed all night long. Waiting in line to refuel.
Online footage showed that outside a gas station in London, two men were punching and kicking due to a dispute over the order of the line, while the two women were watching and trying to persuade them to fight. Outside another gas station, a man quarreled fiercely with a driver and threatened the latter with a knife. The driver then drove into the knife holder and pushed the latter a few meters away.
The British Medical Association (BMA) warned on the 27th that the oil shortage has already affected the medical system, it is difficult for medical staff to return to work, and ambulance operations are restricted, calling on the government to ensure that key positions are given priority to get fuel.
Nag Paulo, chairman of the BMA Council, said that whether it is for medical personnel to go to work in the hospital or the hospital to send an ambulance to treat emergency patients, fuel protection is required. Although the authorities urgently hire fuel drivers, the plan is difficult to see immediately. He also called on the government to formulate policies to ensure that medical personnel have priority access to oil and ensure the operation of the medical system.
BMA Vice Chairman Wrigley said that he has learned that many colleagues in the medical industry have been unable to arrive at work recently due to the lack of gas in their cars.
At present, the British government is formulating a national emergency plan, and plans to designate half of the gas stations to provide fuel for emergency personnel.
In addition, the British Secretary of Commerce Kwotten promised on the 28th that the authorities will continue to ensure a “strong fuel supply.” He said that the British army’s military truck drivers are on standby and ready to help transport oil at any time.
British media revealed that the military is preparing to invest 150 military vehicle drivers to help transport, and the first batch of 75 are on standby. Before performing the task, the drivers need to receive up to 5 days of specialized training, and the military has also equipped these drivers with the same number of support personnel.Return to Sohu to see more
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