Belarus will raise its gas transit fee for Russia's Gazprom by six percent in 2011, Deputy Prime Minister Uladzimir Syamashka announced at a meeting of the Council of Ministers' Presidium on November 2.
Up to 44 billion cubic meters of natural gas is pipelined annually through Belarus, according to the deputy prime minister. "This is the maximum load for our gas transportation system. There will be no increase in the amount of gas transit within the next few years but the transit fee will keep rising," he stressed.
Gazprom has been paying for gas transit via Belarus at a rate of $1.88 per 1000 cubic meters per 100 kilometers this year. The rate will be raised to $2 in 2011, Mr. Syamashka said, adding that Ukraine was already charging Gazprom $2.5 for the transit of 1000 cubic meters per 100 kilometers.
Mr. Syamashka said that the amount of oil pumped through Belarus was expected to drop following the launch of Russia's BTS-2 pipeline on January 1, 2011. Belarus and Russia review the oil transit fee every year, Mr. Syamashka said.
