Public joint-stock company Ukrtransgaz seeks to finish reconstruction of the Bar compressor station (Vinnytsia region) of the Soyuz gas pipeline being implemented jointly with German companies, Ukrtransgaz Chief Engineer Yuriy Ziabchenko has said.

He said that after the approval of the blueprints by the government the company will carry out all the required works in 18 or 18 and a half months. Some 60% of the equipment required for reconstruction has been shipped.

The projected cost of construction is around EUR 80, including EUR 53.6 million of a loan provided by Deutsche Bank and EUR 26 million of Ukrtransgaz's own funds. Ferrostaаl Industrieanlagen is the general contractor of the project.

As part of the reconstruction of the Bar compressor station, the company plans to replace two gas-pumping units (GPU) with modern production facilities made by General Electric, install a new fuel gas preparation unit, automatic control systems and generate compressed air with a receiver, and reconstruct fire safety, ventilation and heating systems.

As a result, the GPU efficiency will increase from 25% to 36%. The annual fuel gas saving will be 76 million cubic meters. The project payback is nine years based on 25 years of operation.

In general, two of seven GPUs of the Bar compressor station will be replaced, two will be used as backup, another three will be decommissioned.

During the visit to the site, Naftohaz Ukrainy CEO Andriy Kobolev said that cooperation with international companies in the modernization of the Bar compressor station is a key component for successful work in the oil and gas sector and improving efficiency. Therefore, Ukraine intends to expand cooperation, attract European companies to manage the country's gas transport system, signing contracts for the transportation of gas not only with Gazprom.