Ukraine offers Azerbaijan to use its underground gas storage facilities

Kiev, February 9 - Neftegaz.RU. Increasing the energy security of Europe may be ensured by Ukrainian underground storage (UGS) facilities, which should be filled with Azerbaijan´s gas, said Deputy Energy Minister of Ukraine Yaroslav Demchenkov, Trend reported citing media.

According to Demchenkov:

• Azerbaijan is an important strategic partner of Ukraine
• Moreover, energy is the main area that both states intend to develop.
• If Baku accepts the proposal to use Ukrainian UGS facilities, this will significantly improve the energy security of the entire European continent
• Reversals on the basis of the Trans-Balkan pipeline and the use of huge UGS facilities in Ukraine can help increase gas supplies from Azerbaijan to the EU and further strengthen the reliability of natural gas supplies to the region

Azerbaijan´s SOCAR has a wide network of filling stations in Ukraine.
The main activity of the company is the wholesale and retail sale of petroleum products, wholesale of natural gas and aviation fuel.
Currently, the network of premium-class filling stations includes around 60 complexes and 4 oil depots, which operate in 11 regions of Ukraine.

Ukraine is considering to import Azerbaijani natural gas supplied to the European market as part of the implementation of the 2^nd and 3^rd phases of the Southern Gas Corridor project.