Ukraine could reduce the purchase of natural gas from Russia to 17-17.5 billion cubic meters by 2020 and to 1.7 billion cubic meters by 2030 as part of the implementation of a comprehensive program to diversify gas supplies.
() - "The comprehensive implementation of measures to diversify imports is aimed at reducing the maximum share of gas imports from one source by 2020 to 35% of total gas consumption in Ukraine and by 2030 to 35% of total gas imports to the country," reads the document.
The comprehensive program for the diversification of gas supplies will include, in particular, imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from countries that traditionally export LNG to Europe (for example, Egypt, Algeria and Qatar), imports of natural gas from Azerbaijan via the White Stream pipeline or liquefied national gas through LNG terminals and gas supplies from Europe through the use of the existing infrastructure in the reverse direction (Germany-Czech Republic-Slovakia or Turkey-Bulgaria-Romania).
The amount of investment needed to implement these projects, except the project on reverse supplies, will be about USD 13-19 billion. According to the creators of the document, the implementation of the most attractive options for the diversification of natural gas imports could help Ukraine not only provide alternative gas supplies for 10-15 billion cubic meters, but also help attract new gas flows for the more effective use of the existing complex of facilities of the gas transport infrastructure.
According to the draft energy strategy, gas consumption in Ukraine in 2030 should reach about 49 billion cubic meters, while domestic production should reach 44 billion cubic meters (according to the basic scenario). In 2012, Ukraine is planning to purchase about 27 billion cubic meters of Russian natural gas. In 2011, Ukraine purchased 35 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Russia.