Ukraine has entered 2017 with natural gas stocks in its underground storage facilities being 11.993 billion cubic meters (bcm), public joint-stock company Ukrtransgaz has reported.

Gas stocks in Ukraine's underground storage facilities have declined 18.6% since October 13, when the current heating season began, through December 31.

Current stocks are 14.3% less than a year ago (13.995 bcm), but 4.6% more than in 2014 (11.461 bcm).

In December 2016 1.569 bcm was pumped from the underground storage facilities (50.6 million cubic meters (mcm) a day on average) and in November – 909.42 mcm (30.31 mcm a day).

According to calculations by Interfax-Ukraine, in 2016 total gas pumping from gas storage facilities exceeded its pumping into them by 2 bcm: 8.391 bcm and 6.389 bcm respectively.

In 2016 the largest pumping from storage facilities was recorded in January (2.883 bcm or 61.09 mcm a day), and the largest pumping into the facilities – in August (1.894 bcm or 61.09 mcm a day).