November 5, 2020, Kyiv – Over 10 months of 2020 Gas TSO of Ukraine has transited 45.0 billion cubic meters of gas. This is 45% less than for the same period last year (81.5 bcm). The primary reason for the decrease in transit volumes, as compared with the previous year, is the launch of new gas pipelines bypassing Ukraine, through which russian gas is being transported to Europe. Accordingly, this has affected the contractual volumes of services ordered from Gas TSO of Ukraine*.
At the same time, the average daily transit volume since the beginning of the year amounted to 148 million cubic meters per day, and in the last decade of October – a record volume, exceeding 180 million cubic meters per day due to additional orders on gas transportation capacities, made through auction platforms for the Trans-Balkan route.
Since the beginning of the year, Gazprom has been paying in full for the entire volumes of booked capacities, of which only 82% has been used. For its part, GTSOU has been executing all daily orders and effectively ensuring uninterrupted gas transportation to the European countries.
The volume of 41.3 billion cubic meters (-34%) has been transported in the western direction. In particular, to Poland – 3.2 bcm, to Slovakia – 31.0 bcm, to Hungary – 7.1 bcm.
In the south direction, the transit amounted to 2.9 billion cubic meters (-73%). Particularly, 0.6 bcm – to Romania and 2.3 bcm – to Moldova. The decrease of transit via this route is related to the launch of Turkish Stream in January 2020, through which gas is transported from Russia to Turkey and from there to the countries of the Balkan Peninsula.
*The Transit agreement between NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine and Russia’s OJSC Gazprom was concluded at the end of 2019 for a period of five years. It provides for Gazprom booking transit capacities in the amount of 65 billion cubic meters (178 million cubic meters / day) in 2020 and 40 billion cubic meters (110 million cubic meters / day) in 2021-2024.