PJSC "Ukrnafta", which is part of the Naftogaz Group, has entered into an agreement to acquire a network of Shell gas stations in Ukraine. This news caused a great resonance in the media, as the agreement has significant potential for the development of the Ukrainian oil market. According to the company's official statements, Ukrnafta considers this purchase to be strategically beneficial and successful, which will significantly strengthen its position on the market.
However, there are other points of view:
1. The Dutch company Shell is leaving Ukraine. It is the largest energy company in Europe, and its final withdrawal from Ukraine does not speak well of our investment climate. This is a Western company that worked completely in white, simply could not compete with local companies that successfully use tax evasion schemes. Therefore, the fact of Shell's departure is a real assessment of the attitude of Western companies to the situation in the country.
2. Buys state-owned Ukrnafta. Are there not more priority tasks and projects in the company where the funds of the state company could be invested? And these are tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars. How much did Ukrnafta invest in its own production and processing of Ukrainian oil and gas? How many oil depots or refineries have been restored? How much distributed generation could be built with these funds?
Was the purchase of a part of Shell the most necessary and most relevant way of using the state company's funds?
It would be interesting to know the opinion of the Cabinet of Ministers as the sole shareholder of the Naftogaz group.
3. Now the country is struggling to attract funds to the country, and here Ukrnafta is actually helping funds leave the country. Shell stations are built and operating, and would continue to operate for another 5-10 years. Why was it necessary to buy them out now? They would stop working or she'll threaten to close them?
Spending tens of millions of dollars of state-owned Ukrnafta funds on an extremely unimportant task at such a difficult time is an absolutely ill-considered and ineffective decision by the management of Naftogaz and Ukrnafta.
