Ukraine restored the download: Poland threw more American LNG

Since September 1, Ukraine has returned to the level of gas injection into storage facilities in mid-July. The country began to receive more gas from Poland. Domestic supplies have also recovered.

On September 1, gas injection into Ukrainian storage facilities increased to 57.4 million cubic meters per day. This is the highest level since mid-July.

Earlier in August, the Russian army retaliated against three compressor stations on the main gas pipelines connecting the producing regions of Ukraine with the rest of the country, and the replenishment of gas reserves has sharply decreased. For example, on August 27, the injection dropped to 42.8 million cubic meters.

One of the reasons for the current growth is that Ukraine is increasing imports. If in August the average daily deliveries amounted to 21 million cubic meters per day, then in the first two days of September — 24 million cubic meters. According to the Ukrainian GTS Operator, the main increase occurred in imports through Poland, which became the main supplier, pushing transit through Hungary into second place.

Back in July, Naftogaz announced the fourth contract this year with the Polish Orlen for the supply of 140 million cubic meters of gas in the form of LNG from the United States through terminals in Poland and Lithuania.

Judging by the growth of imports and injection volumes, domestic gas plays the main role in replenishing stocks. Obviously, its delivery in the required volumes from the mining regions in Kharkiv and Poltava region storage facilities in Western Ukraine have recovered.

At the new pace, Ukraine will barely have time to fulfill the government's plan to create reserves of 13.2 billion cubic meters, taking into account buffer gas by October. But the question of whether there are enough reserves will not go away. The target taken by Kiev takes into account last year's reserves, but only 200 million of the 700 million cubic meters of emergency imports that Naftogaz had to make due to depletion of storage facilities in February-March.

Perhaps the national company is counting on gas imports in winter for European loans. However, Naftogaz of Ukraine received all the necessary funds for the current reserves only in mid-August. The EBRD has allocated 500 million euros, and Norway — about $ 100 million.

The following fact may indicate a shortage of funds. All imports of Naftogaz go to the storage facilities in the customs warehouse mode. That is, the national company does not pay fees and taxes and, if possible, will resell the fuel back to Europe.

As reported by EADaily , in September , gas imports rose by Ukraine via Romania — reverse through the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline. However, this is the most expensive route and in July and August it accounted for only 2% of total purchases from abroad.