The National Joint-Stock Company Naftogaz Ukrainy has turned to the European Commission asking it to consider setting up a transit monitoring mission to examine significant pressure drops in the Russian gas transmission system at the entry to Ukraine’s gas transportation system.
“Naftogaz believes that the current situation requires comprehensive discussion involving representatives of the European Commission. It might be appropriate to consider the application of existing procedures, including ones established within the framework of the Energy Charter in accordance with the decision of the 25th Energy Charter Conference on Energy Early Warning Mechanism (‘‘DEC2014 (14) TTG)”, the company’s press service said in a statement.
According to the statement, in the past several days the PJSC Ukrtransgaz, Ukraine’s gas transportation system operator, has recorded a gradual decline of pressure in the gas transportation system on the Russian side. Specifically, the pressure at the Sudzha gas metering station, the key entry point of Russian gas going to the EU through Ukraine, has dropped from 63.5 atm on July 19 to 52.3 atm on July 26. The Russian operator is contractually obliged to maintain at least 60 atm at this exit point, Naftogaz said. Similar pressure drops were recorded at the Pysarivka gas metering station, second largest entry point for gas coming from Russia.
The same situation was registered by Ukrtransgaz in the last week of June 2016.
“In neither case has the company received any warnings or explanations from Gazprom. The pressure drops and the apparent lack of cooperation from the Russian operator pose a technical challenge and put at risk the stability of the Russian gas transit to the EU”, Naftogaz concluded. (Interfax/Business World Magazine)