Naftogaz denies asking Gazprom to supply gas via Platovo, Prokhorovka stations

Naftogaz Ukrainy Ukraine's state oil and gas company has requested Gazprom to supply 42 million cubic meters of natural gas for Ukrainian consumers on February 20 as part of a standard procedure, the Ukrainian state energy company said on Thursday.

The gas was to be delivered via four gas measuring stations: Sudzha, Valuika, Sokhranovka and Pisarevka, the company said.

The request for February 19 stipulated a delivery of 30 million cubic meters of natural gas through the same four stations.

The company made no request for gas supplies on those dates via the Platovo and Prokhorovka stations, the company stressed.

According to the Naftogaz chief, Andriy Kobolev, the anti-terror operation (ATO) zone consumes between 8 and 18 million cubic meters of natural gas daily during the current central-heating season.

It was reported that Gazprom chief Alexei Miller said earlier on Thursday that starting from 4 p.m. February 19, 2015, Gazprom will supply 12 million cubic meters of gas per day to Ukraine, including through the Prokhorovka and Platovo stations.

The contract sets out a clear procedure of gas handover on the border, and the direction of gas supplies is regulated by separate orders sent by the Ukrainian gas monopoly, Kobolev said.

Naftogaz will not pay Gazprom's bills for gas supplies to the ATO zone, which cannot be confirmed under the current contract, Kobolev said.

He also said there were no Naftogaz or Ukrtransgaz representatives at Prokhorovka and Platovo to monitor the gas delivery. Prokhorovka, in particular, has not been serviced for several years now.