Finnish state-owned energy firm and LNG supplier, Gasum, said it will stop importing liquefied natural gas from Russia after the EU approved the 14th sanctions package against Russia.
Gasum said in a statement that the newest package of sanctions includes a prohibition purchase or import of LNG originating from Russia through European Union terminals that are not connected to the EU gas network.
The sanctions adopted by the EU do not allow Gasum to terminate its agreement with Gazprom export, but constitute a force majeure on the purchase or import of Russian LNG to off-grid terminals, it said.
“Gasum complies with all sanctions imposed by the EU and will not purchase or import Russian LNG as of July 26,” Gasum said.
Gasum’s long-term LNG contract with Gazprom’s unit, which was concluded before 2022, is a so-called take-or-pay agreement.
This means that Gasum has to pay for a certain amount each year to Gazprom Export, weather the company takes the LNG supplies or not.
Under the contract, Gasum has been delivering LNG from Novatek’s medium-scale LNG plant in Russia’s Baltic Sea port of Vysotsk to Pori and Tornio in Finland, Nynashamn in Sweden, and also to Ora in Norway, a Gasum spokeswoman told LNG Prime.
Last year, Gasum terminated its long-term pipeline natural gas supply contract with Gazprom Export.
To secure Finland’s security of supply, the country launched last year its first large LNG terminal and the first FSRU-based facility in Inkoo.
Gasum has also been delivering LNG cargoes to the Inkoo FSRU-based terminal operated by Gasgrid.
The spokeswoman said that Gasum has delivered in total seven LNG shipments to the FSRU up to date.