Charbel Abidaher, Senior Vice President of Gas and LNG at the German company Uniper, stated that Europe will not face a shortage of natural gas or LNG this winter, even with the current high prices and ongoing disruptions caused by the war in the Middle East. Abidaher explained in an interview: "We will not face a physical shortage of LNG or gas. The situation is tough, but there is enough gas and LNG available. The risk is regarding the prices that need to be paid."
Challenges of gas prices and storage in Europe
Concerns about high prices come as Europe approaches winter with the lowest gas storage levels in its history. According to data released by Gas Infrastructure Europe, this situation has been unprecedented since 2011. LNG prices in global markets have significantly increased due to the war in the Middle East, and on October 22, 2026, the Northwest Europe DES index price reached $28.975 per million British thermal units, the highest level since December 2022.
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Legal challenges and long-term agreements
Abidaher pointed out that European buyers typically rely on short-term agreements and often do not pay attention to long-term contracts. He explained: "Due to the extensive legal environment, committing to long-term contracts in Europe is still very difficult." One of the key challenges among European energy companies is the new regulations concerning monitoring and reporting methane emissions. The European Commission has proposed to postpone the requirements for importers under this law for one year to reduce costs.
Abidaher also emphasized that any delay in these requirements could alleviate pressures related to compliance risk and LNG import risk. He added that the industry should use any additional time to implement procedures to ensure compliance in a timely manner.
Legal issues arising from regulatory requirements and lack of clarity regarding methane intensity limits are among the main challenges for Uniper in securing long-term LNG contracts. Abidaher stated: "It is very difficult to agree on the terms related to this requirement."
Diversity of supply and LNG market outlook
Uniper continues to develop its LNG portfolio, and Abidaher mentioned the possibility of contracting to increase supply volumes from the Middle East or the United States in the future. However, the war in Iran has limited Gulf LNG exports for most of this year. Abidaher emphasized that this region remains an important supplier and said: "This is one of the main gas and LNG production areas in the world, and if you want diversity, you must also look at this market."
Regarding the United States, some European market players are concerned about heavy reliance on LNG from this country. Data shows that the United States supplied about 60.7% of the EU's LNG imports in the first nine months of 2026. However, Abidaher downplayed the likelihood of an LNG export ban from the United States due to recent threats from former President Donald Trump, stating: "This is a risk, but there is little chance of it happening."
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