Kiev — Ukraine’s natural gas reserves have exceeded 18 billion cubic metres (bcm) as of Aug. 29, head of the country’s state energy firm Naftogaz Andriy Kobolev said on Thursday.
Ukraine, which worries about a possible fall in Russian gas transit this winter, has said it plans to stockpile at least 20 bcm for the 2019/20 heating season.
Kobolev has said Ukraine needs to increase its gas reserves by 18% this year to cover its winter needs and to guarantee transit to European consumers.
The country consumed 32.3 bcm of gas in 2018, 10.6 bcm of which was imported. For the heating season from mid-October to April it stored 16.9 bcm of gas.
Ukraine used to meet its gas needs with imports from Russia but has not bought Russian gas directly since November 2015 after Kiev’s relations with Moscow soured over Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
Kiev now imports from Europe.
- Reuters
