Ukraine's gas stocks exceed 11 bcm

MOSCOW. July 6 (Interfax) - Gas stocks in Ukraine's underground gas storage facilities were just over 11 billion cubic meters at the beginning of July, head of the Ukrainian GTS Operator Serhiy Makogon said.

"Now there is a little more than 11 bcm of gas in UGS facilities," he told reporters.

As well as storing gas produced in Ukraine, the country also needs to import about 3-4 bcm in preparation for the heating season. Currently, small volumes of gas are imported from Poland, Slovakia and Hungary.

Makogon also said that the operator was now working on broadening Trans-Balkan opportunities to import gas and obtaining access to LNG terminals in Turkey and Greece.

"There is now a very positive trend in Azerbaijani gas there, and we are actively working to give Ukrainian traders the opportunity to buy gas via this route," he said.

The government has asked for 19 bcm of gas to be stored for the 2022/2023 heating season. Yuriy Vitrenko, head of Naftogaz, the national oil and gas company, has said stocks of 15 bcm might be enough for the country to get through the winter amid reduced consumption.