Photo from UNIAN
According to the CEO, Naftogaz has developed a plan for the company's unbundling, which provides for the completion of this process by January 1, 2020.
CEO of NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine Andriy Kobolyev believes that Naftogaz's unbundling and creation of an independent operator of Ukraine's gas transmission system (GTS) in cooperation with potential international partners are the conditions for maintaining gas transit shipments from Russia through Ukraine after 2020.
Read alsoNaftogaz should work with end consumers of gas, not with intermediaries – Kobolyev
"In fact, I don't consider that unbundling itself is sufficient to ensure the ongoing [gas] transit via Ukraine. This condition is important, even mandatory, but not sufficient. Another condition that may be sufficient is attracting a foreign partner. Then I think it is possible to maintain transit shipments. Therefore, the question must be put correctly: a) unbundling, b) attraction of a foreign partner to manage the Ukrainian GTS," Kobolyev said at the forum, titled "Ukrainian Energy Week" held in Kyiv on November 19-21.
According to the CEO, Russia's gas giant Gazprom has offered 50% in the management of the Nord Stream gas pipeline to foreign partners.
"If Ukraine fails do something like that, then partners will simply be more interested in working with them [Gazprom]," he said.
Kobolyev added that the proposal to foreign partners could be made on the basis of a plan for Naftogaz's unbundling, which provides for the completion of this process by January 1, 2020.
As UNIAN reported earlier, in early October of 2018, Kobolyev said that the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, in the first half of 2019 would consider creating a consortium with potential international partners for managing the Ukrainian gas transmission system (GTS).
In February 2018, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced that more than a dozen international companies had shown interest in the management of Ukraine's GTS.
UNIAN memo. In early November 2016, the Cabinet of Ministers adopted a decision to create a new operator of Ukraine's GTS, namely PJSC Mahistralni Gazoprovody Ukrainy (Trunk Gas Pipelines). At the same time, Naftogaz's management created a new subsidiary, the Operator of the Ukrainian GTS, within the structure of state-run Ukrtransgaz, which is wholly owned by Naftogaz.
Naftogaz believes that the establishment of a new legal entity and the involvement of a European partner in its management is necessary for European companies to be able to buy gas on the eastern border of Ukraine and transfer it to the European market, preserving transit volumes after the current contract with Gazprom expires.