Page 42 - UKRRptApr19

9.0 Industry & Sectors 9.1 Sector news
9.1.1 Oil & gas sector news
In January-February 2019, Ukraine imported 0.9bn cubic meters of natural gas, down 20% compared with the same period last year . "In January-February 2019, Ukraine imported 0.9bn cubic meters of natural gas, down 20% or 0.2bn cubic meters compared with the same period last year," the press service of PJSC "Ukrtransgaz" reports. As noted, Ukraine has been importing gas for its needs exclusively from the EU countries for the fourth winter in a row. In addition, PJSC "Ukrtransgaz" informed that in January-February 2019, 13.8bn cubic meters of gas was transported through the territory of Ukraine from the Russian Federation to the European countries and Moldova. The transit volumes increased by 1.8bn cubic meters or 15% compared with the same period last year.
Nord Stream 2 AG has laid more than 830 kilometers, or 34%, of the Nord Stream-2 natural gas pipeline on the bed of the Baltic Sea, Russian gas giant Gazprom said in a statement on March 12. The combined length of the two threads of the pipeline should exceed 1,200 kilometers. The Nord Stream-2 project envisages construction of two lines of a natural gas pipeline with an annual capacity of up to 55bn cubic meters, running from the Russian shore to Germany under the Baltic Sea. Gazprom is implementing the project together with Germany’s E.ON and BASF, Royal Dutch Shell, OMV, and France’s Engie.
As the 1,225 km Nord Stream 2 pipeline approaches Danish waters, Denmark’s official Energy Agency is requesting an environmental assessment of a third route, a process that “will take several months,” Agency spokesman Ture Falbe-Hansen tells Reuters in Copenhagen. Nord Stream 2 spokesman Mueller told Reuters Thursday the company will evaluate the request, but did not say if it would delay the project. Designed to double an existing Russian pipeline along the Baltic seabed, Nord Stream 2 has the approvals of other countries on the route: Russian, Finland, Sweden, and Germany.
On March 1 a 90-day clock has started running for energy companies to bid on nine oil and gas blocks put up for tender under 50-year production sharing agreements. By May 25, bids should be made to Ukraine’s Interagency Commission accompanied by a non-refundable bid fee of $11,100. Tenders require minimum commitments to invest $16-35mn during a five-year exploration period. The production sharing agreements also stipulate%ages of produced oil and gas to be handed over to the state.
To attract foreign investment into oil and gas exploration and production, the State Geology Service is doubling the number of blocks prepared for electronic auction by June. “More than 30 oil and gas sites” are to be auctioned, Oleg Kirilyuk, head of the service, told the Cabinet of Ministers on Wednesday. The current schedule for auctions is: March 6 -- 10 fields; April 29 –7 fields. The Geology Service says these 17 sites have ‘projected resources’
42 UKRAINE Country Report April 2019 www.intellinews.com