KIEV, Ukraine, June 24 (UPI) -- Ukraine and Poland, both rich in shale natural gas, are keen to expand bilateral ties in the energy sector, the Ukrainian trade minister said from Kiev.
The U.S. Energy Information Agency estimates Poland has 187 trillion cubic feet of shale gas reserves.
Didier Casimiro, head of Ukrainian operations at Anglo-Russian joint venture TNK-BP, was quoted by Bloomberg News as saying there was "a lot of interest" in exploring the shale potential in Ukraine.
Andriy Kliuyev, first deputy prime minister and trade minister for Ukraine, said during meetings with Polish Foreign Minister Radoslow Sikorski in Kiev both sides could work together in the energy sector, the National News Agency of Ukraine reports.
Both sides during bilateral talks focused on the possibilities of working together on shale gas production.
The Polish Environment Ministry has issued more than 70 licenses for shale to some of the largest energy companies in the world during the last three years.
Critics say the chemicals used to coax natural gas out of shale rock could contaminate groundwater, creating more environmental problems than it solves.
Germany and France imposed a moratorium on shale gas exploration in part because of environmental concerns.
