On July 12, a constituent meeting of the project on the integrated study of Ukrainian underground gas storage facilities was held at the office of the European Union Delegation in Ukraine.
Ukraine's Naftogaz said in a statement on Monday that the project is aimed to study the demand for gas storage services for the next 20 years and Ukraine's opportunities in the UGS market. Based on the results obtained, several strategic scenarios for the use of Ukrainian UGS will be developed.
The project team will analyse which of the existing gas storage facilities are integral for the efficient operation of Ukraine's GTS.
The project is funded by the European Union. French company Storengy, one of the world's leading operators of gas storages, will conduct technical audit of Ukrainian UGSs. Meanwhile, the international law firm CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang will analyse Ukrainian legislative basis regulating the industry and its compliance with the Third Energy Package and other EU standards.
The overall capacity of Ukrainian UGS facilities is 31 billion cubic meters, but although about 50% of this capacity was unused in recent years. Ukraine seeks to increase the level of utilization of its storages, in particular by developing attractive access conditions for international clients.
Ukrtransgaz, which operates storage facilities, reported last month about the removal of the last legal barrier for storing European gas in Ukrainian UGSs.