Ukraine is once again making net withdrawals of gas from underground storage, following a three-day period (March 9-11) when it injected more than it withdrew.

Ukraine withdrew 7.5 million cubic meters (mcm) a day from underground storage in the March 16-18 period, Ukrtransgaz, which operates the country's pipelines and storage facilities, said in a statement.

Gas stocks in underground storage facilities totaled 8.137 bcm as of March 18, 44.8% less than 14.732 bcm at the beginning of the current heating season.

The authorities can declare that the heating season has officially ended when average daily temperatures remain above 8 degrees Celsius for three consecutive days, although commercial and budget organizations can request that supplies of heat be ended before then.

National joint-stock company Naftogaz Ukrainy, for example, has requested that Kyivenergo stop supplying heat to its administrative offices beginning on March 20.

As of March 18, 2017, daily imports of gas were 43.462 mcm, of which 38.814 mcm from Slovakia, 1.044 mcm from Hungary and 3.604 mcm from Poland. Ukraine has not imported gas from Russia since November 26, 2015. It imported a total of 783.359 mcm in the first 18 days of March.

Naftogaz, which accounts for about 40 mcm of the daily imports, has said it will substantially reduce them in April.

Gas production in Ukraine on March 18 was 57.438 mcm, of which Ukrgazvydobuvannia produced 41.54 mcm, Ukrnafta - 3.346 mcm and other companies - 12.552 mcm. Overall production in the first 18 days of March was 1.035 bcm.

Transit via Ukraine's gas transport system in the March 1-18 period was 3.814 bcm or 211.9 mcm per day.