Year 2017 was spent by working intensively on various development projects.

The beginning of the year 2017 belonged to the coldest months in Slovakia’s history of measurements. NAFTA a. s. were able to fulfil every request and deliver gas in full volumes. Therefore the company confirmed strategic importance of their underground storage facilities in the period of the increased demand for natural gas and also in the season of extreme gas consumption caused.

Energy security of Slovakia improved every year and is currently one of the main pillars of energy policy. „NAFTA confirmed itself once again in 2017 to be a reliable partner both inside and outside Slovakia. NAFTA’s underground storage facilities have an irreplaceable role in ensuring secure gas supplies. Their reliable operation was one of the factors that enabled to keep households and other natural gas consumers regularly supplied, “said Martin Bartošovič, the CEO of NAFTA.

NAFTA has responded to these changing market demands primarily increasing flexibility, creating an innovative product offering, and providing its expert services to partners in domestic and foreign projects.

In the area of investments NAFTA have paid attention to improving the safety at the underground gas storage facilities. These investments are of great significance to our company and we plan to continue investing also in the future. Investments directed, for example, to the safety valves have been put in place and a safety system installed at wells, alongside a closed-circuit camera and perimeter system at some centers.

The year 2017 has brought, in the area of ​​underground gas storage, a significant transaction made between NAFTA and GDF International S.A.S. involving the purchase of a 30% stake in POZAGAS a. s., which raised NAFTA’s 35% share in the company to 65%.

In the area of exploration and production of hydrocarbons NAFTA intensively continued in exploration project with partner from the group Vermilion Energy Inc. Partnering with Vermillion Energy Inc., NAFTA undertook a 3D seismic survey in Slovakia in the area around the city of Trnava. 250 square kilometers were measured, the largest area in Slovakia ever subject to 3D seismic measurement.

Exploration activities also took place beyond Slovakia’s borders, where in Western Ukraine NAFTA worked with Cub Energy Inc. on a 3D seismic survey around Uzhgorod. Its preliminary results indicate interesting potential of this area.

In 2017, long-term cooperation with the company RAG was successfully completed of an innovative project Underground Sun Storage. It´s objective was to verify the possibility of storing energy in underground geological structures as a mixture of natural gas and hydrogen. We perceive the cooperation in this project to be an important step forward and hope to be able to develop similar projects also in Slovakia.

Besides these projects, NAFTA intensively sought out other opportunities to establishing itself outside Slovakia, such as Germany, United Kingdom or Turkey, where would be able to utilize the technical skills honed over many years of experience in exploration and production of hydrocarbons and underground gas storage.

NAFTA a.s. is the key natural gas storing company in Slovakia and, at the same time, the Slovak leader in the field of exploration and production of hydrocarbons. The majority shareholder of NAFTA a.s. owning 56.15% of shares is SPP Infrastructure, a. s., Czech Gas Holding Investment B.V. owns 40.45% of shares.