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Ukraine further cuts Russian gas consumption

Ukraine cut gas consumption by 2.708 billion cu m (7.7%) in January-august 2013 against the same period of 2012 to 32.356 billion cu m.

The Cabinet's press service informs about this.

«Ukraine continues pursuing the energy efficiency policy and reduction of Russian gas purchases, substituting it with innovation technologies, coal, nuclear energy and biofuel. According to Energy and Coal Industry Ministry, Ukraine reduced gas consumption by 2.708 billion cu m (7.7%) in January-August 2013 against the same period of 2012 to 32.356 billion cu m», – a statement reads.

At the same time, the experts note that prices for Russian gas for Ukraine reached the record-making level at USD 432/1,000 cu m until the end of this year. According to them, under conditions of the world financial crisis, the Ukrainian economy will hardly stand such a pressure, if the government failed to early undertake a program for reduction of Ukraine's energy dependence on imported energy carriers.

To remind, in 2011, Ukraine consumed about 60 billion cu m of gas, in 2012 – about 55 billion cu m, this year, the country's economy reaches significant 50 billion cu m.

This year, considerable changes took place in the national sector of gas production. For the first time in Ukraine's history, world leaders were attracted to its production, such as Shell, Chevron and ExxonMobil, interested in joint development of the Black Sea shelf.

According to previous calculations, experts of leading energy companies, deep-water hydrate beds of the Black Sea and Azov Sea have from 4 to 13 trillion cu m of gas. After mastering deep-hole drilling according to technologies of leading energy corporations, the annual gas output volume will reach 7-9 billion cu m. Ukraine jointly with Shell, Chevron and ExxonMobil are expected to attract about USD 3 billion of investments for exploration of gas subsea fields.

Adapted from Ukrinform