LPG output down in Ukraine, import boost seen in Q1 2018 – expert

Ukraine's output of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) used as automotive fuel in January-March 2018 (the first quarter/Q1 2018) shrank by 8% year-over-year (y-o-y), while the country's LPG autogas imports soared by 16.9%.

Oleksandr Sirenko, an analyst from the UPECO fuel consultancy, told UNIAN that the production of LPG stood at 101,200 tonnes in Q1 2018, while LPG imports totaled 287,800 tonnes.

"The share of LPG for cars in the structure of LPG consumption is more than 88%, that of petrochemicals is 6.5%, while LPG used in the household sector and agro-industrial complex accounts for about 5%," Sirenko said.

According to the expert, Russia is the major supplier of LPG to Ukraine.

"Taking into account the re-exports via Belarus, Russian share in the import balance is almost 45%, or 158,700 tonnes," he added.

As UNIAN reported earlier, in 2017, the LPG market in Ukraine (total consumption) grew by 7.5%, to 1.59 million tonnes. More than 95% of LPG was used as motor fuel.