Ukrainian Gas Transport System Operator increased gas transportation from EU and Moldova 2.4-fold in 2023

MOSCOW. Jan 18 (Interfax) - Gas Transport System Operator of Ukraine, or GTSOU, increased transportation of natural from the European Union and Moldova 2.4-fold to 4.3 billion cubic meters in 2023, from 1.8 bcm in 2022.

"We are moving dynamically towards the full integration of our system into the neighboring systems of EU countries, both from a technical and commercial point of view. Such integration will allow us to create an alternative to the sacrosanct 'transit'. Total incoming gas along the western borders amounted [in 2023] to more than 4.3 billion cubic meters," Ukrainian media quoted GTSOU General Director Dmitry Lipp as saying on social media on Thursday.

He said key routes for gas transportation included the one from Romania. "We managed obtain more than 550 million cubic meters in 2023. Previously, gas here moved in the opposite direction, from north to south," Lipp said.

Lipp said he believed risks in the context of the situation in the country were the key constraint for European partners at present. "How do we mitigate their impact? Answer: we do stress tests, with the involvement of independent technical experts, confirming that the system of storage facilities and pipelines is resistant to 'trouble' of various kinds. It was after completing such an extensive study of our system in July last year that we began getting a lot of gas from the west," Lipp said.