Ukraine ups gas in storage 6.2% since halt in Russian supplies to 14.9 bcm
Ukraine has increased its gas reserves in underground storage (UGS) facilities by 0.9 billion cubic meters (bcm) in the month-and-a-half since the halt in natural gas deliveries from Russia.
According PJSC Ukrtransgaz, the operator of the country's gas transportation system, if on June 16 there were 14.037 bcm of gas in the UGS facilities, then as of July 30, the reserves had increased 6.2% to 14.902 bcm.
This included the 531 million cubic meters (mcm) that were pumped into storage facilities in July 1-July 30, or on average 17.7 mcm a day; and 334 mcm in June 16-June 30, or 22.3 mcm per day.
The fall in the rate of pumping in July in comparison to the second half of June is connected with the drop in gas imports from Hungary, which last month amounted to about 3.2 mcm a day against 5.5 mcm in the June 16-June 30 period.
To ensure the transportation of Russian gas to Europe, Ukraine uses its own technological gas.
Beginning on June 16, Gazprom began requiring that Ukraine pay for gas in advance, effectively shutting off deliveries to Naftogaz Ukrainy; the only gas that Gazprom is shipping into Ukraine is destined for consumers in Europe.
As of April 1, UGS facilities contained 7.202 billion cubic meters of gas.
Ukraine pumped 11.635 billion cubic meters of gas into underground storage facilities in 2013. In 2013, withdrawals of natural gas exceeded pumping 8.9% (1.03 billion cubic meters) and amounted to 12.665 billion cubic meters, in particular 12.328 billion cubic meters were withdrawn from Ukrtransgaz underground storage facilities and 0.337 billion cubic meters from Chornomornaftogaz.
Ukraine has 13 underground gas storage facilities with a total capacity of around 32 billion cubic meters. Ukrtransgaz operates 12 storage facilities (31 billion cubic meters) and Chornomornaftogaz the other one (1 billion cubic meters).
Since Crimea's accession to Russia, Naftogaz Ukrainy does not receive information from Chornomornaftogaz on storage, extraction, transportation and use of natural gas, oil and condensate from March 14, 2014.
