Ukraine and Hungary launch virtual gas reverse from May 1

The operators of the gas transmission systems of Ukraine and Hungary on May 1 will launch virtual gas reverse by combining two physical points of gas transmission at the countries' borders into one virtual one, head of Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine (GTSOU) Serhiy Makogon has said.

"We are not resting on our laurels. Today is a new breakthrough – we have combined the two physical points of gas transmission on the Ukraine-Hungary border into one virtual one, which includes two physical ones," he wrote on his Facebook page.

According to him, this will provide traders with the ease and flexibility of purchasing capacities at the border, and GTS operators with flexibility in planning physical flows.

"It's no longer necessary to book a specific physical point, just choose the direction of gas transportation, and the operators themselves decide on the method of physical transportation of gas … There is no need to transport flows in opposite directions – offset flows are offset, and this saves fuel gas," Makogon said.

In addition, gas import capacities are significantly increasing, so now the entire transit/export volume can actually be imported due to the virtual reverse mechanism.

Source: www.en.interfax.com.ua