Gazprom sales to Naftogaz Ukrainy fall 16.4% in 2012
Russian gas giant OJSC Gazprom received 285.715 billion rubles, or $9.19 billion at the average annual exchange rate, from Ukrainian national oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy as payment for natural gas in 2012, which was 16.4% less, or 34.19 billion rubles less, than in 2011.
A report issued by the Russian gas monopoly says that Naftogaz Ukrainy is the only buyer unconnected to Gazprom that accounts for more than ten percent of its revenues from gas sales, although that percentage contracted from 2011's 12.1% to 10.2% last year.
Naftogaz Ukrainy's share of Gazprom sales outside of Russia amounted to 15% last year versus 17.6% the year before.
Earlier, Gazprom said that gas deliveries to the Ukrainian company contracted from 44.8 billion cubic meters (bcm) to 24.9 bcm last year. Gazprom takes the view that this violates the 'take or pay' terms of the contract effected in 2009, and has presented the Ukrainian company with a bill of $7.09 billion for not taking 16.7 bcm of gas. Naftogaz Ukrainy does not acknowledge the validity of the claim.
Gazprom says in its report that the advances issued to Naftogaz Ukrainy last year as payment for future gas transit contracted by 9.921 billion rubles, or $319.1 million, and now stand at 28.938 billion rubles, or $930.8 million, of which the Ukrainian company has to pay off 9.921 billion rubles this year.
