Denmark Struggles to Meet Gas Storage Targets for Winter 2024-2025

Denmark Struggles to Meet Gas Storage Targets for Winter 2024-2025

Share:

Comprehensive energy news coverage, updated nonstop

Annual subscription

8.25£/month*

*billed annually at 99£/year for the first year then 149,00£/year ​

Unlimited access • Archives included • Professional invoice

OTHER ACCESS OPTIONS

Monthly subscription

Unlimited access • Archives included

5.2£/month*
then 14.90£ per month thereafter

FREE ACCOUNT

3 articles offered per month

FREE

*Prices are excluding VAT, which may vary depending on your location or professional status

Since 2021: 35,000 articles • 150+ analyses per week

Denmark ended 2024 with gas reserves at 93.76% of its total capacity, equivalent to approximately 9.21 TWh, according to Trading Economics data. While this performance exceeded the European Union’s minimum target of 90%, it fell short of the recommended 95% required to ensure optimal energy security during winter.

Strict European Targets to Secure Winter Supplies

The European Union mandates its member states to fill their gas storage facilities to at least 90% by November 1 each year. This policy aims to strengthen collective energy resilience amid market tensions exacerbated by geopolitical and climate factors.

For Denmark, this target represents a minimum of 9.33 TWh of stored gas. The recommended threshold, set at 95%, equals 9.85 TWh. Despite notable progress, the country failed to meet this level due to specific constraints.

Persistent Delays and Challenges

Denmark cited several factors to explain its mixed results. These included delays in infrastructure maintenance and insufficient local gas production. These challenges were communicated to the European Commission, with ongoing dialogue to address the discrepancies in meeting the targets.

However, the situation worsened in early 2025. As of January 1, Danish gas reserves had fallen to 59.2%, or approximately 6.14 TWh. This level, far below recommended thresholds, poses significant risks for the remainder of the winter.

A Difficult Winter for Energy Reserves

Several factors contributed to the stock depletion. Increased consumption during colder months, combined with tensions in European gas supply and rising market prices, limited the ability to replenish reserves.

This critical situation highlights Denmark’s structural limitations in gas storage. With a total capacity of 10.37 TWh, the country is particularly vulnerable to market fluctuations and supply interruptions.

Outlook and Proposed Solutions

To address these challenges, the Danish government must strengthen coordination with infrastructure operators and the European Union. The immediate goal is to stabilize supplies for the rest of the winter.

In the medium term, Denmark could diversify its energy sources and invest in more robust infrastructure. The ongoing energy transition, focused on renewable energy, could provide complementary solutions to reduce dependence on natural gas.

Soaring electricity demand in Batam, driven by new data centres, leads INNIO and MPower Daya Energia to secure 80 MW and launch a five-year maintenance programme.
Tamboran has completed a three-well drilling campaign in the Beetaloo Sub-basin, with 12,000 metres of horizontal sections prepared for stimulation and maintenance ahead of the commercial phase.
Calpine Corporation has finalised a public funding agreement to accelerate the construction of a peaking power plant in Freestone County, strengthening Texas’s grid response capacity during peak demand periods.
Naftogaz urges the European Union to use Ukraine’s gas storage capacity as part of a strategic reserve system, while calling for the end of storage filling obligations after 2027.
Spanish gas infrastructure operator Enagás is in advanced talks to acquire the 32% stake held by Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC in Terega, valued at around €600mn ($633mn), according to sources familiar with the matter.
BP has awarded Valaris a $140mn drilling contract for a Mediterranean offshore campaign aimed at reinforcing Egypt’s declining gas output since 2021.
Egypt’s petroleum ministry will launch 480 exploration wells by 2030 with investments exceeding $5.7bn, aiming to revive production and reduce reliance on imports.
Faced with declining domestic consumption, Japanese liquefied natural gas (LNG) importers are ramping up commercial optimisation strategies and favouring shorter contracts to protect profitability.
European inventories curbed price declines as liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply expands and demand stays weak. Cargo arbitrage favours Europe, but winter will determine the equilibrium level. —
Sonatrach and Midad Energy North Africa signed a production-sharing hydrocarbon contract in the Illizi South perimeter, involving a total investment estimated at $5.4bn for exploration and exploitation of the site.
Kuwait Petroleum Corporation annonce une découverte majeure dans la zone offshore avec le champ de Jazah, soutenant les efforts publics d’investissement dans les infrastructures énergétiques nationales.
Rockpoint Gas Storage finalised its initial public offering in Canada with an upsized offer of 32 million shares for gross proceeds of C$704mn ($512mn), marking a new step in Brookfield’s partial divestment strategy.
Africa Energy postpones submission of its environmental impact assessment for Block 11B/12B following a recent court ruling affecting offshore exploration authorisations in South Africa.
The European Union’s gas system shows reinforced resilience for winter 2025-2026, even without Russian imports, according to the latest forecast by European gas transmission network operators.
US LNG producer Venture Global saw its market value drop sharply after an arbitral ruling in favour of BP reignited concerns over ongoing contractual disputes tied to the Calcasieu Pass project.
Pembina Pipeline Corporation has completed a $225mn subordinated note offering to fund the redemption of its Series 9 preferred shares, marking a new step in its capital management strategy.
A jihadist attack targeted Palma, a strategic area in northern Mozambique, marking a return of insecurity near TotalEnergies' suspended gas project since 2021.
Fermi America has signed an agreement with Energy Transfer to secure a firm natural gas supply for powering Phase One of its HyperGrid energy campus, dedicated to artificial intelligence, near Amarillo, Texas.
Rockpoint Gas Storage priced its initial public offering at C$22 per share, raising C$704mn ($515mn) through the sale of 32 million shares, with an over-allotment option expanding the transaction to 36.8 million shares.
Tailwater Capital secures $600mn in debt and $500mn in equity to recapitalise Producers Midstream II and support infrastructure development in the southern United States.

All the latest energy news, all the time

Annual subscription

8.25£/month*

*billed annually at 99£/year for the first year then 149,00£/year ​

Unlimited access - Archives included - Pro invoice

Monthly subscription

Unlimited access • Archives included

5.2£/month*
then 14.90£ per month thereafter

*Prices shown are exclusive of VAT, which may vary according to your location or professional status.

Since 2021: 30,000 articles - +150 analyses/week.