Ukraine should fight for maximum loading of its gas transport system, say experts

Kyiv, December 16 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine should fight for the market of Russian gas transit to Europe in order to guarantee the maximum loading of its gas transport system (GTS), according to representatives of the expert council for the development of gas industry and natural gas market.

"We have to fight to keep our GTS loaded as much as possible. An effective way to achieve this is to unite the efforts of suppliers, transit countries and consumers. This could be done through a consortium, or joint ventures. We should seek an agreement since we are in the same boat with the Russians, we ship their gas. Should there be no gas, our pipeline would be empty," a secretary of the council and the director general of Naftogazbudinformatyka Ltd., Leonid Unihovsky, said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Thursday.

In turn, Mykhailo Kovalko, who headed the supervisory board of Naftogaz Ukrainy in early 2000s, noted that the issue of loading Ukraine's gas transport system is particularly important in the context of the construction of gas pipelines bypassing Ukraine.

"We have a unique gas transport system. It is unique in terms of having internal and external transit, underground storage facilities designed for 31 billion cubic meters of gas, which allows the country to keep all the purchased gas for our country and be a reliable exporter. Therefore we are facing the issue of preserving the system," he said.

According to the expert, Ukraine should continue talks concerning the guarantees of shipment of natural gas via its gas pipeline system.

Former head of Ukrtransgaz Yaroslav Marchuk, in turn, said that one of the key tasks, which Ukraine's gas sector currently faces is the modernization of the Ukrainian gas transportation system to maintain its maximum loading.