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Russian Gas Pipeline Explodes in Ukraine
An accident occurred on the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod natural gas pipeline in Kiev Region yesterday. That pipeline transports Russian gas through Ukraine to Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Germany and France. An explosion occurred on it at 3:20 p.m. Moscow time near the village of Luka, Tarashchansky District that caused a fire at the compressor center there.
The fire burned 2 ha. of crops 1.5 kn. From Luka. Gas is now being pumped through the Progress Pipeline, which runs parallel with the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod from the Russian border to Ivano-Frankovsk. There were no deaths or injuries in the incident. The blast deprived 26 settlements in Tarashchansky and Boguslavsky Districts in Kiev Region and six settlements in Cherkass Region without gas.
Gazprom switched some gas to the Soyuz system at the border when the fall in pressure in the pipeline registered there. Naftogaz Ukrainy commented that, because the system was running at only half capacity, it was not necessary to divert any gas into underground reservoirs. As from three such reservoirs near Ivano-Frankovsk may be used to compensate for losses of gas caused by the explosion.
Natural gas enters Ukraine through nine lines and five “gates” lead to the EU and Balkans. The loss of a single pipeline will not effect deliveries to the EU. A spokesman for Slovensky Plynarensky Priemesel confirmed that the gas level in Slovakia was normal, as did a spokesman for PGNiG in Poland. A total of 116 billion cu. m. of gas is to be transported across Ukraine this year, and 55 billion cu. m. of gas from Central Asia will be transported to the country.
The cause of the blast is under investigation.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of May 08, 2007
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