KIEV, Ukraine, April 26 (UPI) -- Kiev is interested in seeing which international energy companies would offer the best deal for developing the Black Sea shelf, an official said.
Eduard Stavytsky, the head of Ukraine's state service for geology and mineral resources, said Kiev was interested in "all serious companies" ready to develop and invest in the Ukrainian section of the Black Sea shelf.
"It could be Statoil, Shell, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, as well as other companies with whom we are in talks," he was quoted by the National News Agency of Ukraine as saying.
Moscow last week expressed interest in mining operations and coal-bed methane development in the Black Sea.
Italian energy company Eni in March announced it signed a memorandum of understanding to explore energy production in Ukraine.
Portions of the Black Sea shelf hold about 380 billion cubic feet of natural gas. Ukraine doesn't have the technology to exploit most of the reserves and has focused its technology on pulling minerals from waters west of Crimea.
Yulia Tymoshenko, a key opposition leader and former prime minister, claims Ukrainian "oligarchs" are set to get profits from Black Sea exploration while the state takes on many of the financial burdens.
