MOSCOW, August 4. /TASS/. Gazprom is supplying gas to Europe through Ukraine in the volume of 42.4 mln cubic meters per day via the Sudzha gas pumping station. The application for deliveries through Sokhanovka was rejected by the Ukrainian side, a Gazprom representative told reporters on Friday.

"Gazprom is supplying Russian gas for transit through the territory of Ukraine in the amount confirmed by the Ukrainian side via the Sudzha gas pumping station, [amounting to] 42.4 mln cubic meters on August 4. The application for deliveries through Sokhanovka was rejected," the company’s representative said.

The day before, the pumping volume also reached 42.4 mln cubic meters.

Earlier reports with reference to data released on the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine website said that Russian gas transit through Ukrainian territory might total 42.37 mln cubic meters on August 4.

On May 10, the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine said it would shut down gas transit to Europe via the Sokhranovka station starting May 11 due to force majeure as the company allegedly could not control the Novopskov gas compressor station in the Lugansk Region. As a result, transportation requests would be rejected, and gas wouldn’t be accepted.

However, the Russian gas holding did not see any grounds for the suspension of pumping under the previous arrangement, noting that it did not receive any confirmation of any force majeure circumstances. The company added that it was technically impossible to shift all transit volumes to another interconnection point, the Sudzha gas distribution station in Russia’s Kursk Region.

European gas market situation

In early August, the pace of gas injection into underground storage facilities (UGS) across Europe was 22% lower than the previous year and the lowest in the previous nine years. At the same time, storage facilities are around 86% full, which is more than 14 p.p. above the average for the last five years.

According to Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE), gas withdrawal from UGS plants in EU countries totaled 8.2 mln cubic meters. At the same time, 325.8 mln cubic meters were injected.

The gas withdrawal season from European underground storage facilities came to an end on April 6. A mild winter greatly aided the passage of Europe's heating season. However, there is no guarantee that the next heating season would be the same, according to Gazprom. Europe's injection rates into gas reserves in UGS facilities to last year's levels may prove difficult due to politically motivated refusal of Russian pipeline gas and rising competition for LNG, the Russian company said.