Ukraine Starts Emissions Monitoring

The Naftogaz group has begun to measure methane emissions at its production sites in western Ukraine as part of a methane reduction project, it said June 26.

The first step in a planned campaign to locate and measure the extent of methane leaks into the atmosphere took place at the start of June at Ukrgazvydobuvannya’s and Ukrtransgaz’ sites in the Lviv and Ivano-Frankovsk regions. Ukraine’s giant gas storage facilities, as well as its major gas transit pipelines, are hosted by or pass through the regions. Various kinds of meters were used, some on land and others carried by drones, Naftogaz said. 

More accurate measurement will allow an effective leakage accounting system to be put in place and could lead to a roadmap for reductions as well as proposals for better policy measures, the company added. 

A tri-lateral memorandum of agreement exists between Naftogaz, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Ukrainian ministry for the environment and natural resources. The EBRD is financing the project and the work is being carried out by Norwegian company Carbon Limits.

Ukrtransgaz is heavily in debt as the energy regulator has set tariffs too low and distribution companies often take more gas than they have nominated, according to Naftogaz.