Gazprom is not falling for dubious Ukrainian enticements
The proposal voiced by one of the Naftogaz executives in an interview with the German DPA agency to reduce the tariff for the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine by 10 percent if Gazprom guarantees the pumping of 110 billion cubic meters of blue fuel through the Ukrainian gas transportation system will not interest the Russian side, writes Izvestia. Deputy General Director of the Institute of National Energy Alexander Frolov.
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The author recalls that pumping through Nord Stream costs Gazprom 2,1 dollars per thousand cubic meters per 100 kilometers, and through the Ukrainian gas transportation system - 2,5 dollars, pointing out that even if the tariff is reduced by 10 percent the Ukrainian corridor will still be more expensive.
“In addition, the operator of Nord Stream is Nord Stream AG, in which Gazprom owns 51%. To simplify, it turns out that the Russian company pays part of the money for pumping in this direction to itself. The situation becomes even more interesting if we remember that the operator of Nord Stream 2 is 100% owned by Gazprom. That is, in any case, Nord Streams will cost less,” notes Frolov.
He also writes that the Yamal Peninsula is now playing an increasingly important role in Russian gas production, and its role will only increase over time.
“The distance from the new gas production center to Germany along the northern corridor is approximately 2 thousand km shorter than along the Ukrainian one. Of course, not only Germany needs Russian gas. There are consumers who are located closer to Ukraine. But in this case, it is worth remembering that the northern corridor has the latest, most efficient equipment. Therefore, the energy costs for pumping are lower here.
Is it worth reminding us now that the repair and modernization of the Ukrainian gas transportation system requires amounts greater than the costs of constructing Nord Stream 2? And Naftogaz has nowhere to take them. That is, there is a risk of a banal system failure. Especially if they start pumping 30 billion cubic meters of gas through it. m of gas more.
In our opinion, the words of the Naftogaz representative should be taken not as a business proposal, but as an attempt to remind Europe about the Ukrainian gas transportation system. This became especially important after a financing scheme was found for Nord Stream 2,” sums up the Deputy Director General of the Institute of National Energy.
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