Ukrainian UGS already accumulated 8.5 billion cubic meters of gas

As of July 13, underground gas storage facilities (UGS), according to ENTSO-G, already contained 4.05 billion cubic meters of active gas, or a total of about 8.5 billion cubic meters including buffer gas.

This was written on Facebook by Volodymyr Omelchenko, Director of Energy Programs at the Razumkov Center, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

The post states that over the past week, net gas imports to Ukraine without transit short-haul have increased to 26.5 million cubic meters per day.

Daily gas consumption in Ukraine is 22 million cubic meters per day, which allows pumping up to 55 million cubic meters per day into UGS.

There are currently no technical problems with imports from Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania in the required volumes.

It is noted that the main factors behind the increase in gas injection in June were: the restoration of gas production after massive strikes by the russians in the first quarter, increased imports, reduced consumption due to the seasonal factor, stabilization of the management of Naftogaz of Ukraine national joint stock company after the change of management.

Also, a significant element of the increase in injection was the UAVTP premium over TTF of EUR 8-10 per MWh.

Omelchenko wrote that prices began to respond more adequately to the market situation associated with the deficit, which creates commercial interest from traders in imports.

However, the market needs an even more significant increase in liquidity.

"To confidently pass the 2025-2026 autumn winter period, it is necessary to have 13.5 billion cubic meters in the underground storage facilities by October 20. My forecast is that it will be 12-12.5 with further additional purchases during the autumn winter period, depending on weather conditions. That is, at present, a catastrophic scenario for filling the underground storage facilities seems unlikely, but the government needs to find about EUR 1 billion more to form the necessary reserves. The forecast does not take into account the military factor," Omelchenko wrote.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, Ukraine is actively pumping natural gas into underground storage facilities, reducing the backlog from last year.

The volume of natural gas pumped into Ukrainian underground storage facilities on July 1 increased by almost 10% to 55.6 million cubic meters, a new highest daily level since September 2023.