OREANDA-NEWS. December 03, 2012. Ukraine is interested in the experience of Norway, which in a short time has significantly increased domestic production of oil and gas. The Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov said this in Oslo during a meeting with representatives of the energy sector of Norway, where he is on a two-day official visit.

"We are interested to adopt the Norwegian experience under which Norway could in a short time significantly increase production of oil and gas", Mykola Azarov said.

The Prime Minister emphasized that due one-sided gas contract of 2009 year that is quite difficult to review Ukraine receives gas from the Russian Federation to the highest prices in Europe.

He recalled that Ukraine pays for gas at USD 550 per thousand cubic meters under contracts and overpaying Russia more than 7 billion dollars per year.

Mykola Azarov said that over the past two and a half years, Ukraine is making significant efforts to reduce the consumption of expensive Russian gas. Now Ukraine is negotiating on the diversification of energy supplies.

The Prime Minister gave the example that Ukraine has negotiated on the purchase of natural gas in Germany, which is cheaper than Russian.

He added that to ensure their energy security and reduce the consumption of expensive Russian gas Ukraine transferred its power plants to coal.

In addition Mykola Azarov noted, Ukraine has launched a national project to build a LNG-terminal in Odessa Region, after commissioning it allows receiving about 10 billion cubic meters of liquefied gas.

According to him, Ukraine is also actively developing its production of natural gas on the Black Sea shelf.

The Prime Minister noted that Ukraine has intensified its work of shale gas production, which reserves are estimated at more than 7 trillion cubic meters.

He also stressed that there is largest in Europe solar power plant in the Crimea (Ukraine).

"All of this has allowed us to book in the Russian Federation for the next year 18 billion cubic meters of Russian gas", Mykola Azarov said.