Ukrainian govt appoints acting heads of Ukrgasvydobuvannya, Ukrtransgaz
MOSCOW. Jan 9 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian government has approved changes of leadership at oil producer Ukrgasvydobuvannya and gas infrastructure operator Ukrtransgaz.
Oleg Tolmachev had been appointed acting general director of Ukrgasvydobuvannya to replace Alexander Romanyuk; Roman Malyutin was appointed acting general director of Ukrtransgaz to replace Sergei Pereloma, Ukrainian Media reported citing the National oil and gas company Naftogaz . The government approved the changes on January 6.
Tolmachev has more than 20 years of experience in the extraction of hydrocarbons in North America. He held top positions in gas extraction companies in the United States such as BP America, Chesapeake Energy, EnCana Oil & Gas USA, Eclipse Resources, and Montage Resources. In particular, he headed high-tech projects to develop large gas and gas condensate deposits in North America. His duties included boosting the cost-effectiveness of projects, and the formation and management of multifunctional teams in geology, drilling, extraction, preparation and processing of hydrocarbons.
Malyutin, who has more than 20 years of experience of working for gas transportation and gas storage enterprises, went from operator and engineer at Kegochevskoye Underground Gas Storage Facility to deputy chief engineer of the eastern region of the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine. In the past 1.5 years, he headed the technical department of Ukrtransgaz, where he was in charge of the operation of compressor stations, energy and metrology, and also worked on projects to develop low-carbon technologies and hydrogen mixture storage.
Pereloma headed Ukrtransgaz for 2.5 years, prior to which he chaired the supervisory board. He said on social media that this was "a time of powerful transformation." At the same time, he said Ukrtransgaz was set up as an independent underground gas storage facility operator working with leading gas operators in Europe, and certification and further storage of EU strategic gas reserves was a completely feasible task. He also said he was confident Ukrtransgaz would be rid of old debts and carry out the financial recovery that had begun, and deliver plans to re-equip one of the UGS facilities for hydrogen storage.
The government at the end of April 2021 backed a decision by Naftogaz to dismiss Elena Kobets as head of Ukrgazvydobuvannya. Alexander Romanyuk, the first deputy director, who at the time also headed Naftogaz Exploration & Production, was approved as acting general director of the company.
The government dismissed former Naftogaz CEO Yury Vitrenko on November 1 2022 and appointed Alexei Chernyshov, a former regional development minister, to replace him on November 3. MP Alexei Goncharenko said Vitrenko was removed "not so much due to results, but due to political will."
Vitrenko had headed the company since April 2021.
Naftogaz includes Ukraine's largest oil and gas producers with 100% of Ukrgasvydobuvannya and 50% plus one share of Ukrnafta. It has a monopoly on natural gas storage in underground storage facilities with 100% of Ukrtransgaz and oil transportation by pipeline through the country with 100% of Ukrtransnafta, and is actively developing gas supplies to households.