Ukraine may become energy-independent - IHS CERA
KYIV, May 28 /UKRINFORM/. The evaluation of gas reserves and a probable amount of gas production demonstrates Ukraine's high prospects for its full provision with domestic blue fuel, according to Laurent Ruseckas, head of the research Natural Gas and Energy Future of Ukraine conducted by the power consulting company IHS CERA.
Ukraine is not a country that should largely rely on gas imports; in terms of geological potential, it is indeed possible that Ukraine could become independent in the natural gas area, Ruseckas said, adding the resources that can be confirmed today are about 700 billion cubic meters.
He noted that the research evidences a great potential of increasing the volume of gas extraction in Ukraine. The prospecting for new sources of gas, particularly, in the Dnieper-Donets basin and the Black Sea shelf, shows that those deposits are much larger, including a substantial potential for gas mining from closed reservoirs of finite density, the research head said.
In general, the initial conventional gas reserves and resources of Ukraine, according to IHS CERA, make 2.88 trillion cubic meters.
In addition, IHS CERA experts say, Ukraine has significant reserves of unconventional natural gas - about 11.5 trillion cubic meters. A team of researchers has developed and revised geological data concerning Ukraine's reserve of unconventional gas, in particular shale gas and coalbed methane, Ruseckas said, adding, this gas production volume can be up to 35 billion cubic meters a year in the future.
As IHS CERA put it, in the event of sufficient investment in gas production, by 2035 Ukraine will be able to mine 60-70 billion cubic meters of gas a year, and even more.
