Romania’s gas imports fell 41.2% in the first five months of 2013

Romania imported in the first five months of 2013 an amount of usable natural gas of 698,800 toe, by 41.2% lower than in the similar period of 2012, according to data provided by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). In the first five months of this year, domestic natural gas production totaled over 3.64mln toe, by 2,200toe (0.1%) lower than in the equivalent period of 2012. The decline is mainly caused by the good weather, after the months of February and March last year were characterized by very low temperatures. At the same time, industrial consumption fell, due to a decline in the activity of businesses. German group E.ON announced in late May that it expected a decrease in gas sales this year, due to rising temperatures and decline in demand from energy-intensive industries; additionally, many small and medium-size companies are insolvent or bankrupt.