Georgia Revises Gas Import Forecast
Georgia has cut its forecasts for gas imports in 2020 for a second time to factor in weaker demand, its economic development ministry reported on April 28.
Imports from Azerbaijan are now expected to total 2.404bn m3 this year, down 2.1% compared with a forecast made in March. Imports from Azerbaijan's state-run Socar are seen at 1.537bn m3, down 3.4%, while the forecast for supplies from the BP-led Shah Deniz project remains unchanged at 867mn m3. This sum includes 5% of the volumes the project sends to Turkey which Georgia receives as a transit fee.
Russian imports are now expected at 171.55mn m3, down 8.2% from the March forecast. Georgia sees overall imports reaching 2.596bn m3, which is 2.5% less than the previous guidance.
Georgian gas demand is expected to come to 2.562bn m3 in 2020, down 2.5% yr/yr. Of this amount, 1.67bn m3 will be consumed in the housing sector, down 2.3%, and 610mn m3 in the power sector, down 3.9%. Georgia's own minuscule gas production is projected at 12mn m3.