Ukrainian companies receive opportunities to buy gas backhauled via Moldova

MOSCOW. Jan 12 (Interfax) - The Moldovan government has approved legislative amendments that will allow all interested companies to take advantage of the backhaul (virtual reverse) service using the connection to the Grebeniki point of Ukraine's gas transmission system, Ukrainian media said, citing the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine (GTSOU).

"For Ukrainian clients, it opens up an opportunity to ship gas of non-Russian origin via the Trans-Balkan corridor - from LNG terminals in Greece and Turkey or gas produced in Azerbaijan," GTSOU said on Telegram.

So far, this mechanism has been used mostly by customers from Moldova itself.

International partners of GTSOU will be able to keep gas delivered from LNG terminals in Greece or Turkey at Ukrainian underground storage facilities, the company said.

"Such an opportunity has opened up, but whether it will be taken advantage of depends on traders and available resources," according to Olga Belkova, GTSOU director for liaison with government agencies and international organizations.

The potential capacity of the Trans-Balkan route stands at up to 20 billion cubic meters of gas a year.