Kyiv, May 28, 2014 – Russia is based on raw material model and it prevents its entering the club of the states which are considering post-crisis world structure and new world order formation. Today’s expansionary behavior pattern of the Russian Federation aims at changing this distribution of forces and breaking through to find itself among these countries. This was the opinion expressed by CEO of Center of Social Studies «Sofiya» Volodymyr Lupatsiy and key advisor of Institute of Strategic Studies «Nova Krayina» Vyacheslav Potapenko during media briefing in Ukraine Crisis Media Center.
«Global financial and economic crisis which had started in 2008 caused new trends of use of natural resources policy. Open access to natural resources, like open sales markets in XX century, started being formed. New technologies of use of resources are being applied: oil and gas from shale, lignite coal and seafloor nodules. Simultaneously use of natural resources is stabilized and minimized, becoming a basis for “green” development. The point I am getting at is the following: deposits that attracted no one before 2008, now, on the contrary, excite huge interest», – stated Vyacheslav Potapenko during his speech.
Ukraine is one of the biggest importers of Russian gas in the world. At the same time, there are considerable shale gas deposits in the territory of our country. They might become an alternative to the use of Russian natural gas. By experts’ estimates, deposits are accumulated in the East (Yuzov field, Donetsk region) and West (Olesko field, Lviv region) of Ukraine, along with Skifske deposits in the Black Sea shelve; total amount is from 3.6 to 11.5 trillion cubic meters. «At present there is technological capability, ecological expediency and political will to form alternative source of energy supply on the basis of opening shale gas production following the USA-proven technology. Ukrainian losses of resources from the hybrid war with the Russian Federation can already be calculated. With Crimea going under Russian jurisdiction Ukraine lost approximately 6.6% of its gas reserves and about 16% of its oil reserves. Estimated resource potential in the Black Sea shelve is 2 trillion m3 of gas and 430 million tons of oil. Simultaneously, on condition of Yuziv field full-scale development, companies are to invest 3.75 billion dollars into Ukrainian economics», – informed Mr. Potapenko.
Ukraine in fact lost approximately one third of its energy potential at the expense of shale gas in the Black Sea shelve as well as alternative sources of energy, i.e. solar and wind power stations. «Russian Federation and Gazprom are interested in discrediting the idea of shale gas production in Europe and in Ukraine in particular. They are applying every effort possible to maintain amount and cost of supply of their natural gas to Ukraine. Russian-oriented organizations both legally and with arms in hand are objectively hindering development of shale gas extraction project in East of Ukraine, as well as annexation of Crimea impedes project of gas and oil extraction from the Black Sea shelve. Everyone understands that, even with all transporting expenses applied, Siberian gas will be cheaper than the gas potentially extracted in the Black Sea. Considering these factors, we make a hypothesis that the civil confrontation and military actions that are happening in Slovyansk and Kramatorsk are connected with the Russian Federation attempts to protect its status of «gas super-state», having significant influence on Ukraine and the European Union countries», – emphasized Volodymyr Lupatsiy.
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