In January-June 2024, Naftogaz Group paid UAH 44 billion in taxes to the state budget of Ukraine and another UAH 3.2 billion to local budgets, the company said on its website on Thursday.
In particular, in June, UAH 8.7 billion was paid to the state budget and UAH 0.5 billion to local budgets.
“Despite the military challenges, we continue to work steadily, save jobs, fill the budgets of all levels and strengthen the economy of our country,” said Oleksiy Chernyshov, Chairman of the Board of Naftogaz of Ukraine.
As reported, in 2023, Naftogaz Group companies paid UAH 90.2 billion in taxes, UAH 83.4 billion of which went to the state budget and UAH 6.8 billion to local budgets.
In January-June 2024, Ukrgasvydobuvannya JSC and Ukrnafta PJSC produced 7.3 billion cubic meters of commercial gas, which is 8% more than in the same period last year, the press service of Naftogaz Group reports.
According to the press service, such production figures also exceed the group’s operational plan by almost 2%.
“We managed to achieve this result by launching 41 wells, which is one more than planned. Of these, 14 are high-rate wells producing more than 100 thousand cubic meters of gas per day. Our experts are also constantly analyzing old wells that can be brought back into operation using new technical solutions,” said Oleksiy Chernyshov, CEO of Naftogaz.
Naftogaz’s consolidated quarterly report says that the group’s forecasted commercial gas production for 2024 is expected to reach 14.6 billion cubic meters. In February, Chernyshov said that the group’s goal for this year was to get closer to 15 bcm of production.
The net consolidated profit of the Naftogaz Group in January-March 2024 amounted to UAH 10.9 billion against a net loss of UAH 1.9 billion in the first quarter of last year, the press service said on Friday.
According to the press service, the group’s consolidated operating profit in the first quarter of 2024 amounted to UAH 12.4 billion, which is 3.6 times more than in January-March 2023 (UAH 3.4 billion).
At the same time, in January-March 2024, Naftogaz Group paid UAH 18.2 billion in taxes to the state budget, which is 6% of all payments controlled by the State Tax Service of Ukraine.
“Naftogaz remains Ukraine’s backbone in times of war. We are working together to improve our position by showing an increase in financial performance. In the first quarter of 2024, we also improved the financial result of the group’s parent company, NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine. It earned a net profit of UAH 8.1 billion, which is UAH 0.4 billion more than in the same period of 2023,” said Oleksiy Chernyshev, CEO of Naftogaz.
He also recalled that at the end of March 2024, the group successfully completed the 2023/2024 heating season under PSO without receiving any additional funding from the state.
As reported, in 2023, the net consolidated profit of Naftogaz Group amounted to UAH 23.1 billion, compared to a loss of UAH 79.1 billion in 2022.
Naftogaz of Ukraine is negotiating gas storage deals with Germany’s RWE, Norway’s Equinor, France’s TotalEnergies and Engie, the group’s CEO Oleksiy Chernyshov told Bloomberg.
According to him, there is still time to conclude agreements, as the largest volumes of gas injection usually occur in August and September.
Chernyshov also clarified that so far no foreign company that already stores gas in Ukraine has abandoned its decisions, despite the recent Russian attacks on gas infrastructure.
The company continues to serve customers and repair equipment damaged by recent rocket attacks.
The Head of the NJSC reminded that the state energy regulator has recently improved the conditions for gas storage from June 1, 2024. The new rules include shorter booking intervals for capacity – for months rather than for a whole year, which improves the attractiveness of Ukrainian storage facilities for foreign traders.
As reported, in 2023, the volume of gas from foreign traders and energy companies pumped into Ukrainian UGS facilities for storage reached 2.5 bcm. This year, Naftogaz expects to increase this figure to 4 bcm.
The modernization of CHP plants is one of the key priorities for 2024, which the management of Naftogaz Group discussed with the company’s Supervisory Board at an offsite meeting on March 20, 2024.
“The thermal generation facilities transferred to Naftogaz are in an extremely poor condition. They have not been modernized for years, and the war has also had a negative impact on their operation. In today’s environment, they cannot operate efficiently and ensure the proper level of reliability. Therefore, we need to find funds to modernize these facilities,” the Naftogaz Group website said on Thursday, citing its head Oleksiy Chernyshev.
Among the key priorities of the group this year, Naftogaz also highlighted the growth of gas and oil production, an increase in the volume of gas from foreign energy companies in Ukrainian underground storage facilities, the development of customer services for household consumers and the protection of facilities in times of war.
In particular, the group plans to increase natural gas production by 0.5 bcm this year and attract about 4 bcm of gas from foreign traders for storage in Ukrainian underground storage facilities, up from 2.5 bcm in 2023.
“As in the previous year, our top priority remains to increase our own Ukrainian gas and oil production. Our plan for 2024 is to increase natural gas production by at least half a billion cubic meters. We are increasing the pace of drilling new wells, using modern technologies for both subsoil exploration and direct gas production,” Chernyshov said.
As reported with reference to the head of Naftogaz, the group plans to produce 15 billion cubic meters of natural gas in 2024 at the expense of PJSC Ukrgasvydobuvannya (UGV) and PJSC Ukrnafta.
According to Chernyshev, in 2023, UGV produced 13.5 billion cubic meters of gas.
For his part, according to UGV CEO Oleh Tolmachov, in 2023, the company increased gas production by about 700 million cubic meters compared to 2022. In 2022, the company produced 12.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas (commercial).
“In 2023, Ukrnafta increased oil and condensate production by 3% (by 39.9 thousand tons) compared to 2022, to 1 million 409.9 thousand tons, and gas production by 5.8% (by 60.4 million cubic meters), to 1 billion 97.4 million cubic meters.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine decided to transfer six CHPPs from the State Property Fund to Naftogaz of Ukraine (Dniprovska in Kamianske, Mykolaivska, Kryvorizka, Khersonska, Odesa, and Centralized Metallurgical Plant of Sievierodonetska CHPP) in early August 2021. Later, the government decided to increase the authorized capital of the NJSC by UAH 646.248 million through an additional share issue by contributing additional stakes in these CHP plants.
Last month, Naftogaz Group companies paid UAH 5.3 billion in taxes, which is 17.8% more than in February 2023.
According to a report on Naftogaz’s website, the company paid UAH 4.8 billion to the state budget and UAH 0.5 billion to local budgets.
In total, since the beginning of 2024, the group has paid UAH 11.4 billion in taxes to the state.
As reported, in 2023, Naftogaz Group companies paid UAH 90.2 billion in taxes, UAH 83.4 billion of which went to the state budget and UAH 6.8 billion to local budgets.
