Ukraine has increased gas transit via the Progress and Soyuz gas carriers following Monday’s blast on the Urengoi-Pomary-Uzhgorod pipeline, the Fuel and Energy Ministry’s press-secretary, Konstantin Borodin told Itar-Tass.
“The high maneuverability of the Ukrainian gas transportation system has compensated for the temporary idleness of the Urengoi-Pomary-Uzhgorod line. Transit traffic through the other gas carriers, Progress and Soyuz first and foremost, was increased. Certain amounts of gas were borrowed from underground gas holders,” Borodin said.
“The undersupply of gas that may have been caused by the pipeline rupture will be compensated for with greater deliveries by alternative routes. Ukraine has coped with all of its transit commitments. Its gas pipeline system is one of the most diversified in the world,” the Ukrainian Fuel and Energy Ministry’s press-secretary said.
Gazprom says it honors all contractual liabilities to European consumers that receive natural gas via Ukraine.
Prime-Tass quotes Gazprom’s press-service as saying there has been no disruption in gas supplies to European recipients despite the accident on the Ukrainian section of the Urengoi-Pomary-Uzhgorod pipeline.
The press-office of the Naftogaz Ukrainy company in Kiev confirmed the same to Itar-Tass.
“The accident will in no way harm gas deliveries to European consumers. The automatic traffic control system has re-routed gas flows,” Naftogaz Ukrainy said.
There occurred an explosion on the Urengoi-Pomary-Uzhgorod pipeline near the Luka village in the Kiev region earlier on Monday. The regional office of the Emergency Situations Ministry has said there were no casualties. The blast tore out a 30-meter long 1,420-millimeter pipe out of the gas carrier to throw it 150 meters away. The pressure inside the pipeline at the moment was 74 atmospheres. The fire has been eliminated. It scorched an area of one hectare. An investigation is on.
