Ukrainian Energy Company Breaks Off Exploration Contracts With Gas Supplier

The state-owned oil and gas company Chornomornaftohaz and the gas production company Ukrhazvydobuvannya have again signed a contract on the joint exploration of the Odesskyy and Bezimennyy gas fields on the Black Sea shelf.

The Ukrainian news agency UNIAN on 21 January quoted Yuriy Avdeyev, spokesman for Chornomornaftohaz, as saying that his company had dissolved all its agreements on the joint exploration of these gas fields with UkrGazEnergo, the supplier of imported gas to Ukrainian industry.

Avdeyev did not disclose any details of the deal, saying Chornomornaftohaz would later release official information on the matter.

UNIAN quoted a source in the state oil and gas company Naftohaz Ukrayiny, the parent company of Chornomornaftohaz and Ukrhazvydobuvannya, as saying the two companies had signed the papers on 18 January in Kiev. He said it was Anatoliy Pryzyazhnyuk, head of Chornomornaftohaz, who had suggested resuming relations with Ukrhazvydobuvannya, although he had earlier insisted that it must be replaced with UkrGazEnergo.

Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko repeatedly criticized the decision, the agency recalled. She was quoted as demanding on 12 January that gas import monopolist RosUkrEnergo and its 50-50 joint venture with Naftohaz Ukrayiny, UkrGazEnergo, must be removed from the Ukrainian market and pledging to sign direct intergovernmental contracts on gas supplies with Russia.

Originally published by UNIAN news agency, Kiev, in Ukrainian 1153 21 Jan 08.

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