Ukraine plans to boost natural gas imports from Europe to 40 million cubic meters (mcm) a day from Aug. 1, from 23-24 mcm a day at present, Energy and Coal Industry Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn said at a press conference in Kyiv on July 27.
Ukraine is currently injecting 30-40 mcm into underground storage a day, including the excess of current domestic production over consumption: 12-13 mcm a day.
Ukraine expects to be pumping 53-55 mcm into underground storage by August 1, in line with the plans to boost imports.
It was reported earlier that about 5.2 billion cubic meters has been injected into underground storage since the beginning of the current year.
Ukraine is unlikely to import more than 20 bcm of gas in 2015 as a whole, Director for Business Development at Naftogaz Ukrainy Yuriy Vitrenko said on July 20.
The forecast balance of natural gas receipt and distribution for 2015, approved by the Cabinet on April 15, states that this year Ukraine will import 25.985 billion cubic meters of natural gas, which is 33.5% more than in 2014 (19.466 billion cubic meters.). In particular, it is planned in the first quarter to import 6.891 billion cubic meters (actually 5.771 billion cubic meters), in the second quarter – 6.963 billion cubic meters (actually 4.305 billion cubic meters), in the third – 7.128 billion cubic meters, and in the fourth – 5.003 billion cubic meters.
Ukrtransgaz operates all of Ukraine’s 12 underground gas storage facilities, which have active capacity for 31 bcm.
