Europe could face several winters of gas shortages as a result of Russian supply cuts, Shell Chief Executive Ben van Beurden told a news conference in Norway today.

"It may well be that over several winters we will have to somehow find solutions," said van Beurden, quoted by "Reuters" and the Economic newspaper.

The war in Ukraine has forced several EU member states to look for alternatives to Russian gas supplies, as a large proportion were heavily dependent on Moscow, which previously secured the supply of 40% of the gas used in the bloc.

Prices for alternative gas sources have risen as a result, and some countries are taking energy-saving measures, including Portugal.

France is negotiating with the Government of Algeria, through Engie, for a 50% increase in gas supply in anticipation of winter due to the energy shortages caused by the Ukraine war.

In President Macron's entourage on the visit to Algiers and Oran was Engie CEO Catherine McGregor, who met with the Algerian Minister of Energy and Mines and Algerian oil and gas company Sonatrach.

Last week, the "BBC" advanced that Russia was burning 4.34 million cubic meters of natural gas every day, which under normal conditions would be exported to Germany.

The independent research center Rystad Energy says that the liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Portovaya, northwest of St. Petersburg, was burning the equivalent of nearly ten million dollars worth of gasoline every day.