Polish PGNiG plans to invest $50 million in gas production in western Ukraine at the first stage as part of a partnership with the Energy Resources of Ukraine (ERU) group of companies, MP Andriy Gerus has said.
“At the first stage, it is planned to invest $50 million. And in the future, the volume of investments may reach up to $500 million,” he wrote on his Facebook page after attending the 24th Gazterm gas conference in Poland.
As reported, early December 2019, the Polish company PGNiG SA and the Ukrainian group of companies ERU signed an agreement on the exploration and production of natural gas in Lviv region. The agreement provides for the drilling of an exploration well up to 2,500 meters deep at the initial stage, and measures to design the location of other wells.
In May 2021, the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMCU) allowed PGNiG SA to acquire over 50% in Karpatygazvydobuvannia LLC, which belongs to ERU.
Energy Resources of Ukraine (ERU) is a group of companies with foreign investments specializing in the implementation of projects in the Ukrainian energy sector. It is one of the largest private importers of natural gas and electricity to the country. ERU Group belongs to Yaroslav Mudry and Dale Perry.
PGNiG is the largest oil and gas company in Poland, engaged in the development of gas and oil fields, production, storage and transportation of energy resources, as well as construction and development of oil and gas transport networks, export and import of gas.
Naftogaz group and Polish Oil and Gas Company (PGNiG) have signed a memorandum of understanding. The partners will jointly consider the possibility of putting together experience and resources to implement a number of projects, primarily in Western Ukraine.
“Naftogaz and PGNiG will primarily focus on exploring opportunities for joint exploration of greenfield areas in Western Ukraine, bordering Poland. In particular, the partners shall allow for cooperation in Berestyanska area, where Naftogaz signed a production sharing agreement with the government at the end of 2020,” the group said in a press release.
Naftogaz said that as part of its strategy approved in 2020, Naftogaz started implementing strategic projects to increase the resource base within the Black Sea shelf, Yuzivska area, the Carpathian region and new areas for which PSAs were concluded.
“By attracting international partners, we intensify the rate of progress of unlocking Ukraine’s resource potential. PGNiG is a public company with high standards that has discovered and is successfully developing a number of fields in Europe. In particular, PGNiG has proven track-record of discoveries and efficient gas production in Poland, in the region bordering Ukrainian Carpathians. At the same time, it has already successfully accomplished projects on expanding its gas producing business to other countries, including strong position in Norway. I am confident that we will be able to achieve mutually beneficial synergy,” Chief Operating Officer of the Naftogaz Group Otto Waterlander said.
“Ukraine, which has one of the largest gas reserves in Europe, offers a very attractive growth potential for upstream companies like PGNiG. We are particularly interested in gas production development in Western Ukraine. This region borders with our operations area in Poland, and our data confirms its potential. Naftogaz has been working there for many years and has considerable experience and valuable geological data,” Vice President of the Management Board of PGNiG SA, Chief Operating Officer Robert Perkowski said.
Polish-based PGNiG has postponed the start of gas exploration in Ukraine from the previously announced third quarter of 2020 to the first half of 2021, head of the company Jerzy Kwieciński has said.
“PGNiG also intends to more actively participate in projects related to production of hydrocarbons in Ukraine. The company plans to start exploration for natural gas in this country in the first half of 2021,” the company said in a press release.
As reported, in February 2020 Vice President of the Board of Directors of PGNiG Robert Perkowski said that PGNiG intends to start developing hydrocarbons in Lviv region in the third quarter of 2020.
Earlier, in early December 2019, the Polish company PGNiG SA and the Ukrainian group of companies ERU signed an agreement on the exploration and production of natural gas in Lviv region.
PGNiG is the largest oil and gas company in Poland, engaged in the development of gas and oil fields, production, storage and transportation of energy resources, as well as construction and development of oil and gas transport networks, export and import of gas.
Energy Resources of Ukraine (ERU) has signed an agreement with Polish-based PGNiG on the acquisition and imports of American natural gas to Ukraine.
“Already in early November, within the framework of the agreement, liquefied gas will arrive at the Polish LNG terminal named after former president Lech Kaczynski in Swinoujscie. LNG will enter the Polish transmission system after regasification, from where it will be brought to Ukraine through gas pipelines in Hermanowice and will be transferred to ERU. Deliveries for ERU will be implemented by the end of 2019,” the trader said in a press release.
According to PGNiG head Piotr Wozniak, today the only limitation for increasing exports to Ukraine is the capacity of Polish pipelines in the direction of Silesia-Subcarpathia.
“We expect that the capacity of these pipelines will be expanded by 2021,” he said.
