Russ Oil-Gas

02-11-2009 - Upstream OnLine - German gas player E.ON Ruhrgas will seek compensation for disrupted gas flows from Russian supplier Gazprom on a contractual basis, not via legal claims, a board member said today. "Statements we would sue are not correct," sales director Henning Deters said at a news conference. "But I am certain that on the basis of our partnership a contractual solution can be found," he added. E.ON did not receive Russian gas via Ukraine for nearly three weeks in a bilateral row over transit volumes and prices. Like its German competitors, it kept up its full supply obligations to customers by activating alternative supply channels and underground storage. This way it also managed to help make up for supply shortfalls in six south-east European countries. Deters said the possible sums under negotiation had not been worked out. Fellow German player RWE said last Friday it would not sue the Russian partner for any damages either. Asked if the crisis had refocused thoughts on a possible terminal for liquefied natural gas at Wilhelmshaven, plans which E.ON had abandoned last year, Deters said that the plans were "on hold, but not totally shelved". E.ON said last August said it would drop plans for Wilhelmshaven and instead focus on becoming a partner in a Dutch landing terminal project called Gate. "We will carry on with Gate...we will wait what developments emerge there," Deters said. E.ON has booked 3 billion cubic metres or a quarter of that terminal's annual capacity to be received from 2011.