Baltic States – CIS, Energy, EU – Baltic States, Gas, Legislation, Lithuania

Achema plans to buy around 9 megawatt-hours (MWh), or around two-thirds of its gas, from Gazprom, with the rest to be purchased from Norway's Statoil through the Klaipeda liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal.

"Yes, we have signed a one-year contract with Gazprom. The conditions are basically the same as last year (...). The amount is the same as last year. There are no changes as far as quantities are concerned," Gintaras Balciunas, vice-chairman of the management board at Achemos Grupe (Achema Group), told BNS.

Balciunas confirmed an unofficial report that the group would purchase Gazprom's gas via its German-registered subsidiary Agro Baltic, attributing the change to Brexit.

He did not disclose the price for confidentiality reasons, but said that it was similar to last year's.

LDT would not disclose the quantity of gas it plans to buy from Gazprom. The company will also purchase some of its gas from other suppliers via the LNG terminal.

Mantas Mikalajunas, CEO of LDT, confirmed to BNS that the company had on the last days of 2017 reached a deal with Gazprom that would cover a part of its gas needs.

According to him, LDT has over 100 million cubic meters of gas stored at Latvia's Incukalns gas storage facility and intends to use it in winter. It plans on purchasing LNG later.

In addition to Gazprom's gas, LDT last year bought LNG from the US companies Cheniere Marketing International and Koch Supply & Trading, and Spain's Gas Natural Fenosa.