Tariff for Russian gas transit across Ukraine increases to $3.11 in Q2

The tariff for Russian gas transit across Ukraine increased to $3.11 for 1,000 meters per 100 kilometers in the second quarter of 2012, says the Ukrainian Eurobond emission prospectus.

The tariff was $3.08 in the first quarter of 2012, it says.

Reports said earlier that the charge for gas transit across Ukraine was $1.7 for 1,000 cubic meters per 100 kilometers in 2009 and averaged $2.65 in 2010.

The average gas transit tariff for 2011 was projected at $2.86 ($2.84 in the first quarter, $2.89 in the third and $3.03 in the fourth quarter).

The average tariff for 2010 was floating and it was calculated, based on a formula dependent on the cost of the fuel component and inflation in Europe.

A contract between Naftogaz of Ukraine and Russia's Gazprom, set the 2010 basic gas transit tariff across Ukraine at $2.04 for 1,000 cubic meters per 100 kilometers. The length of Russian gas transit via the Ukrainian gas pipeline system to Europe is 1,240 kilometers.

The transit of natural gas across Ukraine to Europe and countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States increased by 5.7% in 2011, compared to 2010, reaching 104.197,67 billion cubic meters.

The transit amounts began to decrease in 2010, including as a consequence of the commissioning of the Nord Stream pipeline.

The worst-case scenario of Ukraine's draft adjusted energy strategy through 2030 envisions cuts in gas transit via the Ukrainian gas pipeline system to 30 billion - 40 billion cubic meters and the basic scenario to 70 billion - 80 billion cubic meters, while the optimistic scenario maintains the transit volume at the current 100 billion - 110 billion cubic meters.

The system of Ukraine's gas mainlines and underground storage facilities is operated by Ukrtransgaz. The Ukrainian gas pipeline system's entrance handling capacity is 288 billion cubic meters and exit handling capacity 178.5 billion cubic meters, including 142.5 billion cubic meters channeled to Europe and 3.5 billion cubic meters to Moldova.