Gazprom is preparing to stop transit through Ukraine
Gazprom began to dismantle transit capacities in the Ukrainian direction because they are excessive for the volumes of gas that are currently pumped through the Ukrainian gas transmission system.
Co-chairman of the Energy Strategies Fund Dmitry Marunich stated this in a comment to a PolitNavigator correspondent.
“The dismantling of Gazprom pipelines in the Ukrainian direction is not new. At the entrance to Ukraine, the capacity is about 140 billion cubic meters and a significant part of it will not be in demand. Now, taking into account the pipelines entering uncontrolled territories, there is approximately twice as much capacity as is needed. Naturally, they are taken out of service.
Obviously, they are dismantling outdated equipment installed in the 70s and 80s of the last century. It makes no sense for Gazprom to support it, since it plans to reduce transit through Ukraine. If this is not done, the equipment will need to continue to be maintained in working condition, the compressor station personnel will have to be paid salaries, etc.
For its part, Ukraine will not dismantle its pipes because there is no money for this. It’s a question of economics – if it’s cost-effective to get them, they’ll get them,” Marunich said.
Gazprom had begun dismantling transit gas pipelines to Ukraine, according to Sergey Makogon, CEO of the Ukrainian Gas Transmission System Operator.
“The fact that Gazprom began to dismantle the pipes on its territory through which gas is supplied to the border with Ukraine is a problem, but we cannot really influence it. In fact, they want to destroy even the theoretical possibility of gas transit through Ukraine in the future,” he said in an interview with Oilpoint.
At the same time, Russian experts say that in the next 4,5 years – the duration of the current gas transit contract – Kiev has nothing to worry about.
Gazprom is preparing to end gas transit through Ukraine.