According to him, only a price of the pipeline may be estimated in such a way, without underground gas storages, compressor and gas-measuring stations, as well as a ramified network of gas pipelines via Ukraine's territory. "In total, a price of the Ukrainian GTS can make up about USD 50 billion," the expert believes.
As it was reported, Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller at a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has said that Ukraine estimated a price of its gas transportation system at USD 20 billion and requested for a discount for gas at USD 9 billion annual in case of setting up a gas transportation consortium. This amount Miller named as considerable with taking into consideration that large funds will be needed for modernization of the Ukrainian GTS. According to him, a price of the Ukrainian GTS modernization, by different estimates, will make up from EUR 2-3 billion to EUR 7-8 billion.
The Ukrainian gas transportation system includes 39,800 kilometers of main gas pipelines, including 14,000 kilometers of 1,020-1,420 mm in diameter, 74 compressor stations (112 compressor shops) of total capacity reaching 5,450 MW, 13 underground gas storages with an active volume at 32 billion cu m or 21.3% оf total European active capacity. Total length of gas pipelines of Ukraine reaches 283,200 kilometers.
Ukraine conducts negotiations with Russia over 1.5 years on revision of gas contracts of 2009, since considers a price for Russian gas as "a bondager and unfair." The Ukrainian party intends to reach reduction of a price for Russian gas to the level of the European price, with taking into account a discount at USD 100 according to Kharkiv agreements. At the same time, the price should not exceed USD 250/1,000 cu m.
One of requirements from the Russian party, according to unofficial data, is creation of a consortium on management of the Ukrainian gas transportation system and underground gas storages, as well as a consortium on gas transportation for Ukrainian consumers.
As it is expected, a current round of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia on the gas price may start following January 10.
