Ukraine stores almost 17 bcm of gas
Ukraine has increased natural gas inventories in underground storage 2.1-fold or by 8.85 billion cubic meters (bcm) since the end of the previous heating season, to 16.95 bcm, according to operational data from Ukrtransgaz.
The inventories amounted to 8.1 bcm on March 22, at the end of the previous heating season.
The current inventories are 15.6% more than on October 21, 2016 (14.66 bcm), 2.7% more than on October 15, 2015 (16.509 bcm) and 1.3% more than on October 21, 2014 (16.734 bcm), according to Interfax-Ukraine calculations.
Ukraine injected 558.95 million cubic meters (mcm) of gas into underground storage from October 1 through October 21, 2017 (26.62 mcm a day on average), compared with 51.68 mcm a day on average in September, 53.78 mcm in August, 52.82 mcm a day in July, 49.88 mcm a day in June and 51.86 mcm a day in May.
Ukraine started the 2016/2017 heating season in the middle of October with 14.7 bcm in stock.
The action plan to prepare the energy complex to the autumn and winter period 2017-2018 approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine envisages that Ukraine by November 1, 2017 will accumulate 17 bcm of gas in underground storage facilities.