Characteristic of Gas Transmission System Current State and Development

Ukraine's Gas Transmission System (GTS) consists of 37,600 km of gas pipelines of different designation and capacity, 73 compressor stations with 110 shops where 703 gas compressor units having an aggregate power of 5,400 MW are installed, 1,607 gas distribution stations, 13 underground gas storage facilities with a total active gas storage capacity of 32.0 bcm, and infrastructure facilities.

European Countries Respective Shares in Active Capacity of Underground Gas Storage Facilities in 2005

The GTS can take in up to 290 bcm at the entry point, delivering 175 bcm of natural gas at the exit point, including 140 bcm for the West and Central European countries.

About 29% of gas pipelines are currently operating beyond their depreciation period, almost 60% have been in operation from 10 to 33 years. Nearly one third of 703 gas compressor units installed at compressor stations have reached or are approaching their end of life and require upgrading.

Customers are supplied with natural gas by gas networks operating at a pressure of 1.2 MPa and having length of about 287,000 km. About 51,000 gas control points (GSP) ensure the required gas supply mode in these networks.

The 1.2 MPa natural gas supply system is heavily worn out and, in addition, is operating under the complicated conditions of civil engineering infrastructure of populated areas. Thus, 11,600 km (or about 7%) of distribution gas pipelines and 4,900 (or about 14%) of gas control points have already exceeded their depreciation period.

Given the gas pipelines operation periods and technical state, it is planned to complete upgrading of all compressor stations by 2015 with a view to ensuring reliable and efficient operation. Upgrading and technical reequipping of the gas transmission system will be finished by 2030, using the most advanced and effective technologies.

The upgrading of the gas transmission system for the period until 2030 will require over UAH 92.4 billion. It is planned to bring the GTS workload to the design figures and to increase transit capacities by 30-35 bcm/year by constructing compressor stations at Torzhok-Dolyna gas pipelines, a second line of Ananyev-Izmail gas pipeline, and a pipeline in the direction of Uzhgorod. Enhancing the capacity of underground gas storage capacities is possible by upgrading and technically reequipping Solokhivske, Proletarske and Bilche-Volynsko-Ugerske storage facilities.

Ukrainian Gas Transmission System