Ukraine has been negotiating with three potential investors, who could join the newly-created company – operator of the Ukrainian gas transportation system. They include the US Chevron, which has been looking for shale gas in Ukraine. However, if the US company gets permission to control Russian gas transit to Europe, Europeans may not like it.
There are the first contenders to management of the Ukrainian gas transportation system. ITAR-TACC reported on Monday that three foreign companies, including the US Chevron have expressed their interest. In the near future they are going to apply officially as soon as legal procedures are completed.
Chevron refused to comment on this information to Gazeta.Ru saying that it is not going to comment on the rumors.
According to the most optimistic estimates, transit via Ukraine will total 10-15 billion cub.m. a year, but it could be deprived of that, if deliveries through other transit routes are increased. Mikhail Korchemkin, President of East European Gas Analysis, said that six-seven more years about 170-220 million cub.m. of gas a day will be delivered through Ukraine depending on the season. Expert said that this is because South Stream could hardly be launched at the scheduled time.
Chevron is involved in the geological exploration of shale gas on the Olessa site, west of Ukraine. Ukrainian ex-Minister of Energy Edward Stavitski said earlier that the Olessa site could potentially produce up to 5 billion cub.m. of gas a year. Chevron also has a permission to search for “shale gas” in Lithuania and Romania.
“Sale of the gas transportation system is hardly possible without agreement with Russia at any price,” said Russian expert. Naftogas estimates the gas transportation system at $40-45 billion. But this is a conditional price. According to the expert’s estimates, without the Russian gas the pipes cost only $2-3 billion. $10-15 billion will be needed for the reconstruction of the gas transportation system.
