OREANDA-NEWS. The Ukrainian Minister of Energy, Yuri Prodan, and Eni's CEO, Paolo Scaroni, met today in Kiev.

During the meeting, in light of the changing international scenario, Eni's CEO and the Minister discussed the importance for the country of increasing the availability of natural gas.

The parties discussed Eni's activities in Ukraine and agreed on the need to cooperate in order to increase the potential production of shale and conventional gas onshore, also through the award of new exploration areas.

Upon request by the Minister, Eni has agreed to research new ways to supply gas to Ukraine, also through reverse flow systems, with the additional aim of making full use of available storage capacity.

Eni has been present in Ukraine since 2011 with the Zagoryanska and Pokroskoelicenses, located in the Dnieper-Donets basin. In 2012, Eni acquired a 50.01% stake and the operatorship in LLC Westgasinvest, the company that currently owns the rights of nine areas of unconventional gas in the basin of Lviv, western Ukraine, a total of about 3800 square km.