Ukraine 'Could Become Gas Exporter'
Ukraine’s Energy and Coal Minister Eduard Stavitsky has said his country could become a net gas exporter by 2025.
The Kyiv Post reported the minister saying he hopes to arrange agreements with more international energy majors to explore its hydrocarbon fields on production-sharing terms.
Traditionally Ukraine has relied heavily on Russian imports for its gas needs, but a number of disputes including a serious falling-out in 2009 have made gas independence a priority.
Last month Stavitsky said that Ukraine bought almost no gas from Gazprom in March because of the pending problem of price. Gazprom’s representative, Sergey Kupriyanov, commented that Ukraine was receiving almost as much as stipulated in the contract.
Earlier this month Stavitsky said Ukraine took only the gas it needed for transit – some 7062 cf a month.