13:47 27.02.2017

Ukraine gas stocks down 43.1% in heating season so far

2 min read
Ukraine gas stocks down 43.1% in heating season so far

Gas stocks in Ukraine's underground storage facilities declined by 43.1% to 8.386 billion cubic meters (bcm) since October 13, 2016, when the current heating season began, through February 25, 2017.

Ukraine withdrew 23.49 million cubic meters (mcm) from underground storage on February 25 and a total of 1.475 bcm on February 1 through February 25 (59 mcm/day on average), Ukrtransgaz, which operates the country's pipelines and storage facilities, said in a statement.

Thus, Ukraine will start March with gas stocks of around 8.3 bcm.

Last year, Ukraine withdrew 33.26 mcm of gas from underground storage on February 25, when stocks amounted to 10.152 bcm. It withdrew 4.37 mcm on February 25, 2015, when stocks totaled 8.132 bcm.

As of February 25, 2017, daily imports of gas were 50.251 mcm, of which 42.845 mcm from Slovakia, 3.42 mcm from Hungary and 3.986 mcm from Poland. Ukraine has not imported gas from Russia since November 26, 2015. It imported a total of 1.216 bcm on February 1 through February 25.

Gas production in Ukraine on February 25 was 57.404 mcm, of which Ukrgazvydobuvannia produced 41.219 mcm, Ukrnafta - 3.315 mcm and other companies - 12.87 mcm. Overall production on February 1 through February 25was 1.425 bcm.

Transit via Ukraine's gas transport system was 6.948 bcm in the period February 1-25, corresponding to a monthly rate of about 7.6 bcm.

Naftogaz Ukrainy officials said the gas stocks are sufficient to make it through the heating season and, if the winter is more severe than expected, Ukraine has the capacity to increase imports. Naftogaz calculates that stocks will end the heating season in the range 7-8 bcm, compared with the minimum allowable level of 5 bcm.

Withdrawals in 2016 exceeded injections by 2 bcm: 8.391 bcm was withdrawn and 6.389 bcm was injected.

Ukrtransgaz, a wholly owned subsidiary of Naftogaz Ukrainy, operates the country's gas pipelines and 12 underground gas storage facilities with a total capacity of 31 bcm.

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