Following the existing data, JSC Ukrgasvydobuvannya in January-November 2018 produced 11.427 billion cubic meters of natural gas, which allowed covering production decrease of approximately 700 million cubic meters and exceeding the indicator for the same period of the previous year by 87 million cubic meters. 

In September 2018, the Company reached the value of average daily production, which is the maximum since 2009, - 42.950 million cubic meters. UGV achieved this due to the maximization of efforts in all operation areas, in particular, by increasing the number of activities in production stimulation. Thus, 81 operations on stimulation were performed, the drilling of 7 wells was finished, seven new wells were brought into production.

It is also worth noting that UGV commissioned modern complex gas treatment plant at Bezpalivka deposit with a capacity of up to 350 million cubic meters of blue fuel per year. 

Let us remind that in July 2018 Ukrgasvydobuvannya obtained from the State Service of Geology and Subsoil of Ukraine 39 special permits to continue the operation of the current deposits with the term of validity of 20 years; this will accelerate the commissioning of new wells. 

But it is impossible to increase the gas production volume using only the current deposits, which are on the final stage of operation.

Ukrgasvydobuvannya effectively uses the old hydrocarbon resource portfolio, but the majority of fields which produce 95 % of gas, are exhausted by 70 %. 

Ukraine, to gain energy independence should get approximately 20 special permits for new subsoil areas annually. However, over the past three years, the Company received only 17 new special permissions, of which, in 2018, three deposits were already opened. 

That is, the moment, at which Ukraine could get extra gas from new deposits, has been delayed for several years. And the process of a significant increase in gas production in the mid-term perspective may only begin after the process of unblocking the granting of new special permits and conducting open auctions for the exploration of new subsoil areas and the discovery of new deposits.