Ukraine's largest mining company, Ukrgazvydobuvannya, is on the verge of disrupting its well drilling program due to constant obstacles in the procurement of casing pipes. According to information received from a source in the state company, the blocking of casing pipe purchases is carried out by the company Vorex, headed by Fedor Zakusilo and his partners.
"With such actions, the tender participants are disrupting the drilling and gas production program for 2024, which poses a threat, without exaggeration, to Ukraine's energy independence. Currently, the warehouses of UGV have a minimum volume of casing pipes. If the pipes do not arrive in the coming months, there is a threat that the program of drilling wells, and therefore production in 2024, may be disrupted," said the interlocutor.
According to him, this situation arose due to the systemic blocking of the state company's tenders by the supplier of Chinese Vorex pipes. According to Prozorro data, on June 12, 2024, the little-known Canadian company Olbi Group , affiliated with Vorex, filed a complaint with the AMCU demanding the annulment of the results of the tender for the purchase of casing pipes, which was held at the end of May.
"This is the fourth blocking of UGV auctions by Vorex this year. In April, Vorex blocked four (!) pipe tenders for more than 230,000 meters of pipes. Then, in May, he tried to stop the last tender. And in June, another complaint and an attempt to cancel the results of the auction," the source emphasizes.
The interlocutor claims that Vorex has discredited itself as a supplier of pipes to the Ukrainian market by systematic behavior at tenders. The supplier of the Chinese pipe initially offers a price higher than other bidders, after losing, it blocks the signing of contracts with the winning bidder either directly or through affiliated companies. According to the media, at the tender of "HTS Operator" bank guarantees of Vorex LLC, Olbi group inc. and Rmt valvomeccanica srl issued by the same bank, and the signatory of the bank guarantee agreement on the part of all three companies is the same person - Bohdan Yuriyovych Kostiuk. In addition, applicants for supply provide bank guarantees for contracts, and then cancel them through the court.
"This year, the terms of shipment of pipes from China, promoted by Vorex, have increased even more, which does not suit Ukrgazvydobuvannya, which is left without a pipe because of them. However, the permanent blocking of purchases by the supplier of Chinese casing pipes and its guides will lead to the paralysis of UGV work in the near future," the source stated.
We will remind you that in April, Vorex LLC blocked the purchase of seamless casing pipes by Ukrgazvydobuvannya through the court. In January-February, UGV held 4 tenders for the purchase of seamless casing pipes, in which "Interpipe Ukraine" LLC won with a total offer of UAH 1.153 billion (including VAT).
However, Vorex appealed to AMCU, believing that the terms of the tender were discriminatory against foreign companies. AMCU rejected Vorex's complaint, so the company appealed to the Commercial Court. The court granted the application for securing the claim, prohibiting UGV or its affiliates from entering into a contract for these 4 tenders until the case is completed.
Later, the UGV court managed to cancel the restrictions on concluding contracts. On May 7, 2024, the Commercial Court granted the request of the UGV and canceled the measures to ensure the claim taken on April 16, 2024.
