Karpatgazvydobuvannya holds a licence to explore for and produce hydrocarbons in the western part of the Lviv Oblast, adjacent to the Polish border. In terms of geology the area is an analogue of Przemyśl, Poland’s largest natural gas field operated by PGNiG for more than 60 years. Its attractiveness and potential have been confirmed through PGNiG’s preliminary analyses of geological and geophysical data.

“The agreement signed today marks a step in PGNiG’s strategy to expand its operations on foreign markets, being a part of the company’s efforts to diversify its sources and directions of natural gas supply. We believe all these efforts will help strengthen the energy security no only for Poland and Ukraine, but also for all countries of the Three Seas Initiative,” said Paweł Majewski, President of the PGNiG Management Board. “For the past five years, we have been actively trading natural gas in Ukraine. Not only have we launched gas sales to the Ukrainian market, but we have also gained access to the Ukrainian gas transmission network and storage facilities, thereby increasing our ability to optimise trade in natural gas. Our successful activities so far and strong cooperation with ERU have whetted our appetite to further tap the potential of the Ukrainian market, and so our partnership is being extended to include upstream,” added Paweł Majewski.

As a result of the agreement, PGNiG is to acquire 85% of shares in Karpatgazvydobuvannya. In accordance with the licence work schedule agreed between the partners, preparations for spudding an exploration well are to be completed by the end of 2021. The well drilling is scheduled for the second half of 2022, followed by formation tests. If it delivers positive test results, the well will be connected to the Ukrainian gas network and brought onstream in 2023. The Karpatgazvydobuvannya shareholders also plan to have additional geophysical surveys of the licence area performed to help design further wells.

“I am proud of the cooperative efforts of ERU and PGNiG, bringing to reality the regional energy initiatives envisioned two years ago this month, in Warsaw between the US, Poland and Ukraine, when we had contracted the supply of American LNG with our Polish partner. As US and Polish companies working together in Ukraine with our Ukrainian E&P project company (Karpatgazvydobuvannya LLC), we believe this sets an important example for further regional cooperation in an important sector commented Dale Perry, Managing Partner at ERU Management Services, a co-owner of Karpatgazvydobuvannya.

The execution of the agreement was preceded by the receipt of relevant approvals from the Polish Competition and Consumer Protection Authority and its Ukrainian counterpart.