Gas consumption in Ukraine down 1.7% in Q1
KYIV. April 28 (Interfax) - The use of gas in Ukraine decreased 1.7% year-on-year in January-March to 22.915 billion cubic meters (bcm), the country's Energy and Coal Industry Ministry said in a statement.
Gas consumption in March alone was down 9.9% year-on-year at 6.397 bcm.
Ukraine imported almost half as much gas - 8.457 bcm - over the three months as it did during the same period of 2011. This drop was associated with the purchase by national oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy of large amounts of gas over the three months in the fulfillment of a Stockholm arbitration court ruling on the return to Switzerland's RosUkrEnergo of 12.1 bcm. The reduction in Ukraine's Russian gas imports was connected with its intention to cut such purchases due to the high price.
Oil transit through Ukraine to Western European countries dropped 13.8% to 4.051 million tonnes in Q1.
Oil imports were halved to 754,400 tonnes, due mostly to the Lisichansk Oil Refinery's halt for repairs and possible further conservation in March. That oil refinery is part of TNK-BP .
Total petroleum product consumption in Ukraine rose 2.7% to 2.204 million tonnes during the first three months of the year. Gasoline consumption decreased 2.7% to 908,800 tonnes and of fuel oil 13.3% to 163,400 tonnes. At the same time, diesel fuel consumption was up 10.6% to 1.132 million tonnes.
Ukrainian coal consumption in Q1 jumped 23% to 14.481 million tonnes, including an increase of 27.1% to 8.087 million tonnes by combined heat and power plants (CHPP).
In 2010, Ukraine used 57.6 bcm of natural gas. In 2009, it used 51.9 bcm; in 2008 - 66.3 bcm; in 2007 - 69.9 bcm; in 2006 - 73.9 bcm; and in 2005 - 76.4 bcm.
The industrial sector was Ukraine's largest natural gas user in 2010, at 42.3% of overall consumption. The population and budget organizations accounted for 32.5% of all consumption, while energy utility companies took up 16.5%. Gas use for technological and industrial needs totaled 8.7% of overall consumption.