Ukraine's gas storage reserves amount to 9.4 bcm, injections reaching up to 55 mcm per day

MOSCOW. July 28 (Interfax) - Total natural gas reserves in Ukraine's underground storage facilities (UGS) as of the end of last week amounted to 9.4 billion cubic meters, including 4.7 bcm of long-term storage gas or so-called buffer gas, which cannot be withdrawn from storage, former Energy Minister Olga Buslavets said, according to Ukrainian media reports.

"This is 12% lower than last year," the media quoted Buslavets as saying in a social media post.

According to the Ukrainian Gas Transmission System Operator (GTSO), over the past week, net gas imports into Ukraine (excluding short-haul transit) from Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Romania remained elevated at 26.5 million cubic meters per day.

At the same time, daily gas consumption in Ukraine over the past week fluctuated at around 20 mcm-22 mcm/day, which allowed for injections into UGS of up to 55 mcm/day, the European platform Aggregated Gas Storage Inventory (AGSI) said.

As previously reported, citing former GTSO head Sergei Makogon, Ukraine needs to import at least an additional 5 bcm of gas by November 1 to reach last year's planned storage targets - roughly 870 mcm per month, or 29 mcm per day.