8 Jun 2022 09:58

Ukrainian govt instructs Naftogaz to double gas stocks by start of heating season

MOSCOW. June 8 (Interfax) - Ukraine's government has instructed Naftogaz, the national oil and gas company, to boost gas stocks in underground storage facilities to 19 billion cubic meters by the start of the 2022-2023 heating season.

"The government is considering several scenarios for maximum readiness for the winter. Today, we are instructing Naftogaz to have at least 19 bcm of gas in our gas storage facilities by the beginning of the heating season," Ukrainian media quoted Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal as saying at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

He said that 10 bcm of gas was stored in Ukrainian underground facilities as of June 1, up 1 bcm from the end of the previous heating season, and 7.5%, or 700 million cubic meters more than the averages for 2014-2018.

The government estimates Ukraine's own gas production at 16-19 bcm, and consumption at 21-24 bcm.

"So we will import some of the gas. We have the capacity for this. We also have agreements with our neighbors in the West," Shmyhal said.