EXPLAINER: How Europe is trying to deal with its gas crisis

By DAVID McHUGH
AP Business Writer

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Europe’s natural gas crisis isn’t letting up. Prices are high. Reserves that are relied on in cold weather are low. Major Russian supplier Gazprom isn’t selling gas like it used to. Pipeline operators say that if there’s a cold winter, the continent’s gas companies will need to import more than they have in the past. Whether more gas is out there to be had is the big question. Analysts say prices have been so high recently, tankers loaded with liquid gas headed for Asia have been turning around in the middle of the ocean to take advantage of lucrative sales in Europe. Analysts say that’s only part of the solution.