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2013-02-06 00:00:00
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Ukraine and the world oil giant Royal Dutch Shell signed on January 24 a $10 billion shale gas production sharing agreement aimed at helping the ex-Soviet country to reduce its dependence on Russia.
The 50-year shale gas exploration deal was signed in the presence of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych by Shell CEO Peter Voser and Ukrainian Energy Minister Eduard Stavitsky at the Davos World Economic Forum in Switzerland, an assembly of the world's business and political elite. Under the terms of deal, Shell will drill 15 exploratory wells in the Yuzovska field in an area of 7,000 square kilometres (3,000 square miles) and will carry out seismic surveys. According to the Ukrainian government estimates, the eastern Donetsk location may hold three trillion cubic metres (100 trillion cubic feet) of natural gas -- enough to supply the nation of 46 million people 70 years at current consumption rates. Shell will be the first company to explore for shale gas in Ukraine. If the exploration work is proved to be successful, the company expects to spend around US$1bn on project development.
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