Gazprom pipelines and export capacity

Газопроводы Газпрома и экспортные мощности

Gas pipelines of West Siberia

Газопроводы Западной Сибири

Export flows of Gazprom

Экспортные потоки

Spot, Gazprom, Brent

Цены на нефть и газ

End-use price of gas

Russia and USA

Daily gas production

Суточная добыча


Russian-Ukrainian Gas Dispute


Gazprom insists on using just one specific pipeline

Gas transmission system (GTS) of Ukraine is a sophisticated technological object and an integrated part of the Unified Gas Supply System (UGSS) of the former USSR. The UGSS was build as a complex mechanism for synchronized operation of gas production, transmission, storage and distribution activities. In the 1970s and 1980s, the Ukrainian part of the UGSS was developed and expanded into a huge terminal for exports of large volumes of Russian gas to Europe. After the division of the UGSS, the gas supply systems of Russia and Ukraine continued their synchronous and coordinated work until the first partial cutoff of 2006 and the total cutoff of January 2009.

Technical Scheme of Ukrainian Gas Pipelines

Source: Gazprom

Until this January, Russia was supplying to the GTS of Ukraine up to 185 bcm/year of gas, including some 120 bcm/year of gas for exports to Europe, Turkey and Moldova. In 1999-2008, the daily flow of gas to Ukraine was fluctuating from 400 to 570 million cubic meters (mmcm). Daily export flows to Europe were up to 400 mmcm. In 2003-2008, daily exports have never been below 235 mmcm.

GTS of Ukraine, same as the GTS of Russia, is not just a set of separate pipelines running from point A to point B. Any large-scale GTS is an integrated network of pipelines and extensions with interconnectors and laterals, that are designed to provide additional security of supply in case of pipeline failure.

Table 1. Export and Import Gas Pipelines of Ukraine

Pipeline

Capacity,

Number

Name (import-export gas metering station)

bcm/yr

of lines

Orenburg-Western border (Sokhranovka-Uzhgorod)

26

1

Urengoy-Uzhgorod (Sudzha-Uzhgorod)

28

1

Yamburg-Western border (Sudzha-Uzhgorod)

28

1

Dolina-Uzhgorod (Uzhgorod)

20

2

Komarno-Drozdowichi (Drozdowichi)

5

2

Uzhgorod-Beregovo (Beregovo)

11

2

Hust-Satu Mare (Tekovo)

2

1

Ananiev-Tiraspol-Izmail (Orlovka)

24

1

Shebelinka-Krivoi Rog-Izmail (Orlovka)

24

3-2

Total export capacity:

143

 

Major import pipelines:

 

 

Yelets-Kremenchug-Krivoi Rog (Sudzha)

31

1

Yelets-Kursk-Dikan'ka (Sudzha)

15

1

Kursk-Kiev (Sudzha)

14

1

Ostrogozhsk-Shebelinka (Valuiki)

23

2

Urengoy-Novopskov (Pisarevka)

31

1

Petrovsk-Novopskov (Pisarevka)

14

1

Orenburg-Novopskov (Sokhranovka)

18

1

Note: Click here for a scheme of export pipelines of Western Ukraine.

Table 1 shows annual capacity of all export pipelines and major import pipelines of Ukraine (excluding these running from Belarus). Please note that the transit pipelines Urengoy-Uzhgorod< Yamburg-Western border and Orenburg Western border are also importing gas to the Ukrainian territory.

The Balkan pipeline receives gas from two trunklines: Ananiev-Tiraspol-Izmail (one line) and Shebelinka-Krivoi Rog-Izmail (two lines at Orlovka). To the Ananiev compressor station, gas is delivered by the Yelets-Kremenchug-Krovoi Rog (YKKR or ЕККР in Russian) and the Kremenchug-Ananiev pipeline. The named pipeline routes of Southern Ukraine deliver gas both to the domestic consumers and for exports. Synchronous operation of all the lines is required to fill the Balkan pipeline in winter period.

Since Jan-13, Gazprom is trying to supply gas only to the Yelets-Kremenchug-Krivoi Rog (YKKR) pipeline, the least convenient line for shipping gas to Europe now. The YKKR route is being used to supply gas to the consumers of Eastern and Southern Ukraine. It is not possible to use this line for exporting 76.6 mmcm/day without cutting off deliveries to the domestic market. After the supplies of gas from Russia to Ukraine were cut on Jan-1, Ukrtransgaz had to change to flow pattern of Ukrainian gas produced in Shebelinka, Eastern Ukraine.

If gas from teh Russian side is supplied only to the YKKR pipeline, it is not possible to evacuate it to Orlovka or Uzhgorod. It does not make sense for Ukraine to take the gas into the pipeline system because it would cause new accusations of theft, which in turn would complicate the situation.

From the technical point of view, gas transmission systems of Russia and Ukraine are still integrated, even having the gas metering stations at the border. A reliable transit of gas, as it was during the most of the post-Soviet history, can be provided only by the synchronized and coordinated operations of both parties. The integrated system of pipelines, underground storage facilities and distribution stations of Ukraine can operate only under the balanced supplies of gas to all import terminals.

The lack of flexibility in the position of Gazprom and unwillingness to consider other options is counterproductive.

Mikhail Korchemkin

January 16, 2009

 

PS. Russian state TV contradicts the press-releases of Gazprom

On January 13, Gazprom published a statement on the restoration of transit flow of 76.6 mmcm from Sudzha to Orlovka and Moldova. Note that Gazprom's request to ship 22.2 mmcm from Sudzha to Uzhgorod has been routinely rejected by Naftogaz

The same day, major Russian news program "Vremya" showed news clips from the Central Dispatching Office of Gazprom, Suzhda and Uzhgorod. The viewers could clearly see that Gazprom has opened the valve at the Yelets-Kremenchug-Krivoi Rog (YKKR) pipeline, but the journalists somehow expected to see the gas flow coming out in Uzhgorod. It was also clear that both the Urengoy-Uzhgorod and Yamburg-Uzhgorod pipeline stayed empty.

 Click here to view clip 1

 Click here to view clip 2

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Last modified: 12/07/14                    © East European Gas Analysis 2006-2014                                           Email: info@eegas.com
Reproduction or use of materials is allowed only with reference to East European Gas Analysis or www.eegas.com